893 Dvin earthquake
Encyclopedia
The 893 Dvin earthquake occurred on 28 December at about midnight. It had a magnitude of about 6 and a maximum intensity of about IX (violent) on the Mercalli intensity scale
. It destroyed the city of Dvin
in Armenia
, causing about 30,000 casualties. The similarity of the Arabic name for Dvin, 'Dabil' to Ardabil
in northwestern Iran, has caused confusion in written records, such that the 893 Ardabil earthquake appears in several catalogues, although it is regarded as a fake event. It was also recorded as an event in India or Pakistan in several early catalogues at an unspecified capital.
between the Arabian Plate
and the Eurasian Plate
, which extends from the Bitlis-Zagros belt
in the south to the Greater Caucasus mountains
, the Apsheron-Balkan Sill and the Kopet Dag
mountains in the north. In Armenia the collision is strongly oblique with a large dextral (right lateral) strike-slip component. The Sardarapat-Nakhicheven fault system is formed of four left-stepping fault segments, the Kagyzman, Sardarapat, Parackar-Dvin and Nakhichevan faults. Movement on the Parackar-Dvin segment of this fault system has been associated with a series of large earthquakes in the second half of the 9th-century.
s. The intensity is estimated to be at least IX on the Mercalli intensity scale
, with some seismologists suggesting that X would be a more appropriate value.
and all the other monumental buildings; just 100 houses were left standing. The area damaged included the Artashat Plateau, where landslides were triggered. The Bishop of R'tshunik, Grigor, who was at a mountain retreat was killed with several of his followers.
The death toll is variously reported as 20,000, 30,000, 70,000, 82,000, 150,000 and 180,000 in historical sources.
, the Sajid emir
of Azerbaijan
, who turned it into a military base. Although the capital of Armenia was moved to Ani
in 961, Dvin became prosperous once more in the 10th-century following its reconstruction.
in several sources, presumed to be a misreading of the Arabic name for Dvin, 'Dabil'. Almost all of the Dvin earthquake's details are repeated in these reports, although in most cases the observed lunar eclipse has become solar. One source refers to this earthquake as taking place in 'Outer India' at an unnamed capital. This report has been repeated in several other sources, with the location given as 'Daibul', near modern Karachi
. It is now considered that no such earthquake occurred in India/Pakistan and that the 'well known' 893 Ardabil earthquake is a fake, despite it appearing in many modern catalogues and reference books.
In the National Geophysical Data Center
earthquake database entry for this event, the date of the earthquake is variously given as March 23, March 27, December 14, December 24, with the year as 893, 894 or 895 in the quoted sources.
Mercalli intensity scale
The Mercalli intensity scale is a seismic scale used for measuring the intensity of an earthquake. It measures the effects of an earthquake, and is distinct from the moment magnitude M_w usually reported for an earthquake , which is a measure of the energy released...
. It destroyed the city of Dvin
Dvin
Dvin was a large commercial city and the capital of early medieval Armenia. It was situated north of the previous ancient capital of Armenia, the city of Artaxata, along the banks of the Metsamor River, 35 km to the south of modern Yerevan...
in Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
, causing about 30,000 casualties. The similarity of the Arabic name for Dvin, 'Dabil' to Ardabil
Ardabil
Ardabil is a historical city in north-western Iran. The name Ardabil probably comes from the Zoroastrian name of "Artavil" which means a holy place. Ardabil is the center of Ardabil Province. At the 2006 census, its population was 412,669, in 102,818 families...
in northwestern Iran, has caused confusion in written records, such that the 893 Ardabil earthquake appears in several catalogues, although it is regarded as a fake event. It was also recorded as an event in India or Pakistan in several early catalogues at an unspecified capital.
Tectonic setting
Southern Armenia lies within the complex zone of continental collisionContinental collision
Continental collision is a phenomenon of the plate tectonics of Earth that occurs at convergent boundaries. Continental collision is a variation on the fundamental process of subduction, whereby the subduction zone is destroyed, mountains produced, and two continents sutured together...
between the Arabian Plate
Arabian Plate
The Arabian Plate is one of three tectonic plates which have been moving northward over millions of years and colliding with the Eurasian Plate...
and the Eurasian Plate
Eurasian Plate
The Eurasian Plate is a tectonic plate which includes most of the continent of Eurasia , with the notable exceptions of the Indian subcontinent, the Arabian subcontinent, and the area east of the Chersky Range in East Siberia...
, which extends from the Bitlis-Zagros belt
Zagros fold and thrust belt
The Zagros fold and thrust belt is a ~1800 km long zone of deformed crustal rocks, formed in the foreland of the collision between the Arabian Plate and the Eurasian Plate...
in the south to the Greater Caucasus mountains
Caucasus Mountains
The Caucasus Mountains is a mountain system in Eurasia between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea in the Caucasus region .The Caucasus Mountains includes:* the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range and* the Lesser Caucasus Mountains....
, the Apsheron-Balkan Sill and the Kopet Dag
Kopet Dag
The Kopet Dag, Kopet Dagh, or Koppeh Dagh , also known as the Turkmen-Khorasan Mountain Range is a mountain range on the frontier between Turkmenistan and Iran, extending about 650 km along the border, east of the Caspian Sea. The highest peak of the range in Turkmenistan is southwest of the...
mountains in the north. In Armenia the collision is strongly oblique with a large dextral (right lateral) strike-slip component. The Sardarapat-Nakhicheven fault system is formed of four left-stepping fault segments, the Kagyzman, Sardarapat, Parackar-Dvin and Nakhichevan faults. Movement on the Parackar-Dvin segment of this fault system has been associated with a series of large earthquakes in the second half of the 9th-century.
Earthquake characteristics
The magnitude of this earthquake has been given as 5.3 and 6, although a value of 7 or greater has been suggested. The main shock was followed by five days of damaging aftershockAftershock
An aftershock is a smaller earthquake that occurs after a previous large earthquake, in the same area of the main shock. If an aftershock is larger than the main shock, the aftershock is redesignated as the main shock and the original main shock is redesignated as a foreshock...
s. The intensity is estimated to be at least IX on the Mercalli intensity scale
Mercalli intensity scale
The Mercalli intensity scale is a seismic scale used for measuring the intensity of an earthquake. It measures the effects of an earthquake, and is distinct from the moment magnitude M_w usually reported for an earthquake , which is a measure of the energy released...
, with some seismologists suggesting that X would be a more appropriate value.
Damage
The city was devastated with most of its buildings destroyed, including its defensive walls, the palace of the catholicosCatholicos
Catholicos, plural Catholicoi, is a title used for the head of certain churches in some Eastern Christian traditions. The title implies autocephaly and in some cases is borne by the designated head of an autonomous church, in which case the holder might have other titles such as Patriarch...
and all the other monumental buildings; just 100 houses were left standing. The area damaged included the Artashat Plateau, where landslides were triggered. The Bishop of R'tshunik, Grigor, who was at a mountain retreat was killed with several of his followers.
The death toll is variously reported as 20,000, 30,000, 70,000, 82,000, 150,000 and 180,000 in historical sources.
Aftermath
The earthquake had ruined the city's defenses and Dvin was taken by Muhammad Ibn Abi'l-SajMuhammad Ibn Abi'l-Saj
Muhammad al-Afshin , an Iranian appoined general of Mo'tazed, was the first Sajid amir of Azerbaijan, from 889 or 890 until his death. He was the son of Abi'l-Saj Devdad.-Early career:...
, the Sajid emir
Emir
Emir , meaning "commander", "general", or "prince"; also transliterated as Amir, Aamir or Ameer) is a title of high office, used throughout the Muslim world...
of Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
, who turned it into a military base. Although the capital of Armenia was moved to Ani
Ani
Ani is a ruined and uninhabited medieval Armenian city-site situated in the Turkish province of Kars, near the border with Armenia. It was once the capital of a medieval Armenian kingdom that covered much of present day Armenia and eastern Turkey...
in 961, Dvin became prosperous once more in the 10th-century following its reconstruction.
Confusion over the location and date
There has been much confusion over the location and date of this earthquake. Several Armenian sources place it clearly at Dvin in Armenia, the night after an eclipse of the moon that occurred on 27 December, 893. However, the location has been given as ArdabilArdabil
Ardabil is a historical city in north-western Iran. The name Ardabil probably comes from the Zoroastrian name of "Artavil" which means a holy place. Ardabil is the center of Ardabil Province. At the 2006 census, its population was 412,669, in 102,818 families...
in several sources, presumed to be a misreading of the Arabic name for Dvin, 'Dabil'. Almost all of the Dvin earthquake's details are repeated in these reports, although in most cases the observed lunar eclipse has become solar. One source refers to this earthquake as taking place in 'Outer India' at an unnamed capital. This report has been repeated in several other sources, with the location given as 'Daibul', near modern Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
. It is now considered that no such earthquake occurred in India/Pakistan and that the 'well known' 893 Ardabil earthquake is a fake, despite it appearing in many modern catalogues and reference books.
In the National Geophysical Data Center
National Geophysical Data Center
The National Geophysical Data Center provides scientific stewardship, products and services for geophysical data describing the solid earth, marine, and solar-terrestrial environment, as well as earth observations from space....
earthquake database entry for this event, the date of the earthquake is variously given as March 23, March 27, December 14, December 24, with the year as 893, 894 or 895 in the quoted sources.