Panitz-Cohen and Mazar in Mazar et al. (2020 v.2:186) describe clear indications of severe damage to Stratum C-2 buildings at Tel Reḥov attributed to an earthquake. They report “layers of complete fallen bricks” in most rooms, yet emphasize that this was “not a sudden collapse of the buildings which would have buried vessels, and perhaps human bodies, below a massive layer of debris.” Instead, the pattern suggests a strong earthquake that caused serious structural damage and prompted temporary abandonment, while allowing inhabitants to evacuate possessions and return shortly thereafter to rebuild in Stratum C-1b. Complete fallen bricks were recorded in “most of the rooms” ( Panitz-Cohen and Mazar in Mazar et al., 2020 v.2:23).

Deformation maps derived from excavation photographs and architectural descriptions suggest that parts of Areas C and G experienced vertical shaking. This pattern raises the possibility that one or more of the active faults mapped beneath the tel slipped during the event, or that the site lay within the near-field of the earthquake. Active faults beneath Tel Reḥov were identified through seismic surveys and are discussed in the final excavation report (see Zilberman in Mazar et al., 2020 v.1). The final report also notes structural tilting throughout the site. Panitz-Cohen and Mazar in Mazar et al. (2020 v.2:187) observed “a tilt from west to east/southeast” in “all strata at Tel Rehov,” which they suggest may reflect natural topography combined with seismic or tectonic activity during historical periods, producing tilts even inside structures.

Although the authors conclude that the earthquake did not result in total destruction or permanent abandonment, the structural evidence implies substantial local shaking. Given the extent of brick fall, deformation, and rebuilding, local intensity was probably high, perhaps on the order of VIII (8) or greater. Dating of the event rests on ceramic evidence and radiocarbon determinations. Area C contains a complete Iron Age II stratigraphic sequence, increasing confidence in the relative placement of Stratum C-2, although Iron Age II chronology remains debated. The damaged buildings were constructed entirely of mudbrick with wood beam foundations, introducing the likelihood of a construction-related site effect that may have influenced structural performance during seismic shaking.