Area J-East in the archaeological site of Aila preserves one of the most detailed archaeoseismic records along the southern Dead Sea Transform. Located approximately 500 m north of the modern shoreline of the Gulf of Aqaba and about 500 m northwest of the later Islamic city of Ayla, the Nabatean, Roman, Byzantine, and Early Islamic occupation sequence spans from the first century CE through the Early Islamic period. Aila occupies a tectonic setting at the northern end of the Gulf of Aqaba where left-lateral motion on the Aqaba Fault is transferred westward across the Wadi Arabah by a series of shoreline-parallel normal cross faults. One of these active faults (CF-5) intersects the western part of Area J-East, providing a rare opportunity to document repeated surface faulting, structural damage, repair, and stratigraphic displacement within a well-dated archaeological sequence.

Thomas et al. (2007) described Earthquake I as “the youngest earthquake recorded at this site,” noting that it “ruptured faults very close to the modern ground surface.” They reported that an intervening aeolian layer between Earthquakes II and I contained “Late Byzantine (sixth to early seventh century A.D.) and Umayyad (mid seventh to mid eighth century) pottery.” They further explained that “the fault rupture of Earthquake I was capped by sand and disturbed modern car park construction deposits, thus preventing finer dating than post–mid to late eighth century.”

Earthquake I ruptured Faults F and H. Thomas et al. (2007) measured a total of 35 cm of southwest dip-slip with “little or no apparent strike-slip.” They also observed that the fault ruptures “trend more toward the west (N12°W and N34°W) than the fault rupture in previous earthquakes (ca. 10° more than II to III, and ca. 20° more than the Byzantine Earthquakes V to VI).”

• Fig. 1b Quaternary Geologic
  Fig. 3
  
  Quaternary geologicmap of the region along the Dead Sea Transform north of the Gulf of Aqaba, showing the geometry offaults in the region of Aqaba, Jordan, and Elat, Israel (modified after Garfunkel 1970).
  
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  Thomas et al (2007)
  Map of the Southern Arava from Thomas et al (2007)
• Fig 2.8 b Map showing location of
  Fig. 2.8 B)
  
  Map of Aqaba showing the three archaeological sites near the coast, some major roads, and location of cross faults and possible Aqaba fault strands.
  
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  Niemi (2014)
  location of Area J-east from Niemi (2014)
• Fig. 2.15 Plan of Area J-east
  Fig. 2.15
  
  Faults exposed in the Roman Aqaba Project excavation Area J-East
  
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  Niemi - Chapter 2 from Parker et al (2014)
  from Thomas et al (2007)
• Fig. 3 Composite columnar
  Fig. 3
  
  Schematic columnar stratigraphic section of the deposits at the J-East site, showing mudbrick tumble from earthquakes on floor levels, sand horizons, occupational levels, and earthquake event horizons.
  
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  Thomas et al (2007)
  stratigraphic section for J-east site from Thomas et al (2007)
• Fig. 4 Section drawing of Wall
  Fig. 4
  
  Section drawing of Wall 26 and Wall 48, showing earthquake damage and fault offsets.
  
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  Thomas et al. (2007)
  26 and Wall 48 showing earthquake damage and fault offsets from Thomas et al. (2007)
• Fig. 5 Section C stratigraphic
  Fig. 5 Section C
  
  Stratigraphic section of the south and north baulks of J-1, showing mapped faults.
  
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  Thomas et al. (2007)
  section showing mapped faults from Thomas et al. (2007)

Deformation Map

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Modified by JW from Fig. 2 of Thomas et al (2007)