Khirbet Yajuz is an archeological site ~11 km. NE of Amman, Jordan. It contains the remains of a village that was occupied from the Roman to Ayyubid/Mamluk period. Excavations at the site revealed numerous seismic effects which appears to be tightly dated to the mid 8th century CE.

Plans and Figures

Discussion

Khalil (1998) excavated Khirbet Yajuz over three seasons from 1995 - 1997. In Area B, they found the remains of a small chapel. A Greek inscription found in mosaic tiles on the floor of the chapel was interpreted to date construction of the chapel to 508 CE. A destruction layer was discovered above the floor.

In the same room, above the mosaic floors, were found a ca. 15cm thick layer of ash and collapsed arches of the room. The preliminary study of the pottery sherds from this layer date to the Byzantine-Umayyad period, and perhaps the destruction of the chapel was caused by the 749 AD earthquake.

In Area C, they uncovered a mill and wine press and more potential archeoseismic evidence

To the west and the south of the mill building there are two adjacent large rooms with internal arches - the southern room has eight arches - with plastered floors. The building might have been used as living quarters or for storage purposes. The arches collapsed above the plaster floor probably due to an earthquake (Fig. 15).

A number of copper coins, beside complete vessels and pottery sherds, were retrieved in the mill and the wine press constructions can be dated to the Byzantine and Umayyad periods.

Although Khalil (1998)'s report on Area E was brief and did not mention archeoseismic evidence, Savage et al (2001:448), perhaps informed by personal communication with Lufti Khalil, produced the following description of archeoseismic evidence in Area E:

In area E, an earthquake that occurred in A.D. 748 is illustrated by the collapsed vaulted arches and the irregularities of the paved floor, which date to the Umayyad period. Later, the collapsed arches were reinforced and strengthened, and dividing walls were added. In addition, a layer of compact hawar was added on top of the pavement in order to make it level, and materials from previous periods were used (fig. 22). Two different types of pottery, associated with different architectural periods, were excavated at the area. Therefore, evidence suggests that the earthquake destroyed the building during the Umayyad period, and the building was later restored during the Abassid period.

Khalil and Kareem (2002) dated an assemblage of pottery from Unit 2 which appears to provide a tight terminus ante quem for potential seismic destruction observed in Unit 5

The pottery assemblage described in this paper was recovered from loci dated after the major earthquake of AD 749, and covers a period most probably continuing until the beginning of the tenth century AD.

... It is suggested that the pottery sherds under discussion can be dated to between the second half of the eighth century (749 AD) and the tenth century AD.

In addition, two copper coins and some lamp fragments found above Unit 5 (Fig. 25) dated as early Abbasid.

Two copper coins dated to the early Abbasid period ³ were found in Area E (Square 4, Locus 7, and Square 7, Locus 1). The lamps and their surface decoration in this assemblage are also helpful chronological indicators. Only two lamp fragments of the so-called 'Jerash type', dated between the sixth and the eighth centuries, were recorded in Area E during the last three seasons. The majority were dated to the ninth and tenth centuries AD.

When the terminus ante quem of Khalil and Kareem (2002) (Abassid) is combined with the terminus post quem of Khalil (1998) (Umayyad), this seismic destruction appears to be well dated to the mid-8th century CE.

Effect	Location	Image(s)	Description
Collapsed Arches            Fire ?	Area B Figure 1. Contour map of Khirbat Yajuz, showing the location of excavations (Areas: B, C, D and E). Khalil and Kareem (2002)		ca. 15 cm thick layer of ash and collapsed arches of the room - Khalil (1998)
Collapsed Arches	Area C Figure 1. Contour map of Khirbat Yajuz, showing the location of excavations (Areas: B, C, D and E). Khalil and Kareem (2002)	Fig. 15 15 Collapsed arch above plaster floor, looking south. Khalil (1998)	The arches collapsed above the plaster floor probably due to an earthquake (Fig. 15) - Khalil (1998)
Collapsed Vaulted Arches Fractures, folds, and popups on pavement Rebuilding evidence	Area E Figure 1. Contour map of Khirbat Yajuz, showing the location of excavations (Areas: B, C, D and E). Khalil and Kareem (2002) Figure 2 Khirbat Yajuz, Area E: plan of the architeetural features in squares 1-14. Khalil and Kareem (2002)	Fig. 22 - example of paved floor Figure 22 Paved room at Khirbet Yajuz. Savage et al (2001) Fig. 4 Figure 4 Khirbat Yajuz, Area E; isometric reconstruction of Umayyad structures in squares 2, 6, 7. and 8 Khalil and Kareem (2002) Fig. 5 Figure 5 Khirbat Yajuz, Area E: Walls, arch, and plaster floor in squares 2, 3, and 6, looking north. Khalil and Kareem (2002) Fig. 6 Figure 6 Khirbat Yajuz, Area E; isometric reconstruction of Abbasid structures in squares 2, 6, 7. and 8 Khalil and Kareem (2002) Fig. 7 Figure 7 Khirbat Yajuz, Area E: Walls, reinforced bases of arches, plaster floors, and flagstone pavement in squares 2 and 7,looking north-west. Khalil and Kareem (2002)	In area E, an earthquake that occurred in A.D. 748 is illustrated by the collapsed vaulted arches and the irregularities of the paved floor, which date to the Umayyad period. Later, the collapsed arches were reinforced and strengthened, and dividing walls were added. - Savage et al (2001:448) the irregularity of the flagstone pavement was probably caused by the AD 749 earthquake - Khalil and Kareem (2002) A number of reinforced arches were found in the area, but only one arch (Loc. 11 in square 3) was still in situ (Fig. 5). All the others may have required reinforcement after the earthquake of AD 749. - Khalil and Kareem (2002) the alignment of the two-row walls, the reinforcement of the arches, and the dividing walls, all suggest that the buildings were restored for habitation after the earthquake (Figs 4-7). - Khalil and Kareem (2002)

• Modified by JW from Fig. 2 of Khalil and Kareem (2002)

• Earthquake Archeological Effects chart
  Earthquake Archeological Effects (EAE)
  
  Rodríguez-Pascua et al (2013: 221-224)
  of Rodríguez-Pascua et al (2013: 221-224)

Effect	Location	Image(s)	Description	Intensity
Collapsed Arches            Fire ?	Area B Figure 1. Contour map of Khirbat Yajuz, showing the location of excavations (Areas: B, C, D and E). Khalil and Kareem (2002)		ca. 15 cm thick layer of ash and collapsed arches of the room - Khalil (1998)	VI+ ?
Collapsed Arches	Area C Figure 1. Contour map of Khirbat Yajuz, showing the location of excavations (Areas: B, C, D and E). Khalil and Kareem (2002)	Fig. 15 15 Collapsed arch above plaster floor, looking south. Khalil (1998)	The arches collapsed above the plaster floor probably due to an earthquake (Fig. 15) - Khalil (1998)	VI+
Collapsed Vaulted Arches (collapsed vaults) Fractures, folds, and popups on pavement Rebuilding evidence (collapsed arches and vaults)	Area E Figure 1. Contour map of Khirbat Yajuz, showing the location of excavations (Areas: B, C, D and E). Khalil and Kareem (2002) Figure 2 Khirbat Yajuz, Area E: plan of the architeetural features in squares 1-14. Khalil and Kareem (2002)	Fig. 22 - example of paved floor Figure 22 Paved room at Khirbet Yajuz. Savage et al (2001) Fig. 4 Figure 4 Khirbat Yajuz, Area E; isometric reconstruction of Umayyad structures in squares 2, 6, 7. and 8 Khalil and Kareem (2002) Fig. 5 Figure 5 Khirbat Yajuz, Area E: Walls, arch, and plaster floor in squares 2, 3, and 6, looking north. Khalil and Kareem (2002) Fig. 6 Figure 6 Khirbat Yajuz, Area E; isometric reconstruction of Abbasid structures in squares 2, 6, 7. and 8 Khalil and Kareem (2002) Fig. 7 Figure 7 Khirbat Yajuz, Area E: Walls, reinforced bases of arches, plaster floors, and flagstone pavement in squares 2 and 7,looking north-west. Khalil and Kareem (2002)	In area E, an earthquake that occurred in A.D. 748 is illustrated by the collapsed vaulted arches and the irregularities of the paved floor, which date to the Umayyad period. Later, the collapsed arches were reinforced and strengthened, and dividing walls were added. - Savage et al (2001:448) the irregularity of the flagstone pavement was probably caused by the AD 749 earthquake - Khalil and Kareem (2002) A number of reinforced arches were found in the area, but only one arch (Loc. 11 in square 3) was still in situ (Fig. 5). All the others may have required reinforcement after the earthquake of AD 749. - Khalil and Kareem (2002) the alignment of the two-row walls, the reinforcement of the arches, and the dividing walls, all suggest that the buildings were restored for habitation after the earthquake (Figs 4-7). - Khalil and Kareem (2002)	VIII+ VI+ VI+ and VIII+

The archeoseismic evidence requires a minimum Intensity of VIII (8) when using the Earthquake Archeological Effects chart of Rodríguez-Pascua et al (2013: 221-224).

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