Ellenblum et al. (1998:305) reported archaeoseismic evidence from a later Islamic occupation at Tell Ateret. In the northern sector, excavators uncovered a mosque whose northern wall is displaced sinistrally by approximately 0.5 m. They write that “in the northern part of the castle, we also unearthed a Muslim mosque whose northern wall is displaced sinistrally by 0.5 m,” and that “a mikhrab (the Muslim praying apse) is well preserved in the southern wall.” Pottery analysis indicates that the mosque “was built, destroyed, and rebuilt at least twice: the initial structure was built in the Muslim period (12th century) and later rebuilt once or twice during the Turkish Ottoman period (1517–1917).” The 0.5 m displacement affects the northern wall of the latest building phase. The final rebuilding phase has not been securely dated. Ellenblum et al. (2015) suggested that the displacement may relate to the 30 October 1759 CE Safed earthquake. Earlier discussions by Ellenblum et al. (1998:305) and Marco et al. (1997) also considered the 1837 CE Safed earthquake as a possible candidate. The sinistral 0.5 m offset clearly records surface rupture along the Dead Sea Fault after Ottoman rebuilding, but correlation with a specific earthquake remains unresolved.

Figure 3 - Displaced northen wall of Ottoman structure thought to have been a mosque - Picture taken in 1994, before the excavation - Click on image to open in a new tab - Marco (2009)