Excavations conducted by Yigal Yadin on the south side of Area A at Hazor during the late 1950s revealed compelling archaeoseismic evidence in Stratum VI (see, for example, Yadin et. al., 1959, Yadin et. al., 1960, Yadin, 1970, and/or Yadin, 1975). Excavators documented tilted and collapsed walls, some of which preserved their original courses, as well as inclined pillars and collapsed ceilings with thick accumulations of plaster debris on the floors. Broken jars were found in situ, and debris contained several luxury objects.

Stratum VI is securely dated to the eighth century BCE, possibly to the first half of that century (Dever 1992: 28*; Finkelstein 1999: 65 Table 1). The overlying Stratum V ended in a burned destruction horizon attributed to the Assyrian conquest of 732 BCE. Consequently, the damage in Stratum VI appears to reflect an earlier seismic event, possibly one of the Amos earthquakes of the first half of the eighth century BCE.

Some authors have suggested that tilting in Area A might relate to slope instability, but Area A is offset from the sloping portion of the mound, as observed in a site survey and as shown on topographic maps. Differential subsidence or poor construction integrity may have contributed instead.