Jones (2021) argues that al-Zantur I Spatromisch II
ceramics, rather than dating from 363 CE - 419 CE, should date to at least a century later. If true, this would negate archaeoseismic
evidence for an earthquake reported in 419 CE
(i.e. the Monaxius and Plinta Quake)
at ez-Zantur and other sites in Petra such as in a structure outside the Urn Tomb,
and in Structure I of the NEPP Project.
Jones (2021) suggests instead that the
causitive earthquake was more likely the late 6th century CE
Inscription At Areopolis Quake.
Jones (2021) provides a
discussion below:
Within Petra, the 418/419 earthquake has been suggested as the cause for the destruction of three structures:
- al-Zantur I, specifically the end of Bauphase Spatromisch II
- one of the structures outside of the Urn Tomb, House II
- North-Eastern Petra Project (NEPP) Structure I
At the Urn Tomb, a 363 earthquake destruction has been suggested for a cave below
the tomb (Zayadine 1974: 138) as well as House II, which was partially rebuilt afterwards and by the 6th century was being
`used as a quarry' (Zeitler 1993: 256-57). Taking this quarrying as evidence for a 5th century abandonment of House II,
Kolb (2000: 230; 2007: 154-55) suggests a second destruction in the 418/419 earthquake, primarily based on analogy to
al-Zantur I. As only a preliminary report has appeared for House II, it is not possible to evaluate the archaeological
evidence for this attribution, but a 5th century abandonment of House II may instead be related to the modification of
the Urn Tomb for use as a church in 446 (Bikai 2002: 271).
The Urn Tomb
