Our systems are now restored following recent technical disruption, and we’re working hard to catch up on publishing. We apologise for the inconvenience caused. Find out more

Recommended product

Popular links

Popular links


Earthquakes in the Mediterranean and Middle East

Earthquakes in the Mediterranean and Middle East

Earthquakes in the Mediterranean and Middle East

A Multidisciplinary Study of Seismicity up to 1900
Nicholas Ambraseys, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London
October 2009
Hardback
9780521872928
AUD$273.64
exc GST
Hardback
USD
eBook

    This book examines historical evidence from the last 2000 years to analyse earthquakes in the eastern Mediterranean and Middle East. Early chapters review techniques of historical seismology, while the main body of the book comprises a catalogue of more than 4000 earthquakes identified from historical sources. Each event is supported by textual evidence extracted from primary sources and translated into English. Covering southern Rumania, Greece, Turkey, Lebanon, Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Iraq, the book documents past seismic events, places them in a broad tectonic framework, and provides essential information for those attempting to prepare for, and mitigate the effects of, future earthquakes and tsunamis in these countries. This volume is an indispensable reference for researchers studying the seismic history of the eastern Mediterranean and Middle East, including archaeologists, historians, earth scientists, engineers and earthquake hazard analysts. A parametric catalogue of these seismic events can be downloaded from www.cambridge.org/9780521872928.

    • Written by one of the word's leading authorities on historical seismology with more than 40 years of experience in the region
    • Presents a catalogue of more than 4000 earthquakes, including magnitude and location information
    • Is accompanied by an online parametric catalogue to download

    Reviews & endorsements

    Praise for The Seismicity of Egypt, Arabia and the Red Sea (Cambridge University Press, 1994) co-authored by Professor Ambraseys: 'Once again the authors are to be congratulated on a painstaking piece of research that is now the starting point for anyone working on the seismicity of this region.' Martin Degg, Geoscientist

    'Anyone with an interest in historical earthquakes will want this volume without hesitation; and rather a lot of seismologists, engineers and planners could learn from the introductory sections … Production values are excellent.' Roger Musson, Geoscientist

    'It is a great relief to see this monumental work finally printed. Professor Ambraseys has towered over research into historical earthquakes for 50 years. … a level of scholarship that very few people can match. … Cambridge [University Press] should be congratulated for publishing this book … This book will never go out of demand … for libraries, researchers, consulting engineers and the insurance industry.' Geological Magazine

    'Helpful is the 'earthquake of Amos', dated ca. 759 BCE (Amos 1:1), for which there seems to be solid archaeological evidence all over the place - from Tel Beersheva to Jerusalem, from Gezer and Shechem to Tell Deir Alia and Megiddo, all listed and documented by the author. One should consider the possibility of Amos's activity being somehow conditioned, if not occasioned, by a mighty earthquake that shook all of Palestine' International Review of Biblical Studies

    See more reviews

    Product details

    October 2009
    Hardback
    9780521872928
    968 pages
    283 × 223 × 49 mm
    2.81kg
    83 b/w illus. 23 maps
    Available

    Table of Contents

    • Preface
    • 1. Macroseismic information
    • 2. Evaluation of macroseismic data
    • 3. Catalogue of earthquakes
    • 4. Evaluation of instrumental data
    • 5. Long-term seismicity
    • 6. Future challenges
    • Appendix: Photographs of researchers in the field
    • References
    • Index.
    Resources for
    Type
    Parametric Catalogue
    Size: 105.5 KB
    Type: application/vnd.ms-excel
    Notation for Catalogue
    Size: 258.3 KB
    Type: application/pdf
      Author
    • Nicholas Ambraseys , Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London

      Nicholas Ambraseys was trained at the Imperial College of Science, London, as a Civil Engineer, specialising in soil dynamics and engineering geology. He later became Professor of Engineering Seismology, and Head of the Engineering Seismology Section at Imperial College. Since 1994, he has been a Senior Research Investigator and Fellow in the Department of Civil Engineering. Professor Ambraseys is a Fellow of The Royal Academy of Engineering, The European Academy, and The Academy of Athens, and has been awarded medals from The Royal Geographical Society (1975), The Geological Society of London (2002) and the Seismological Society of America (2006). He is currently Vice-President of the European Association for Earthquake Engineering, Director of the International Association for Earthquake Engineering, Chairman of the International Commission for the Protection of Historical Monuments and co-editor of the Journal of Earthquake Engineering. Professor Ambraseys is the author of two other books for Cambridge University Press: A History of Persian Earthquakes (1982) and The Seismicity of Egypt, Arabia and the Red Sea (1994).