At the deltaic site of Bet Zeyda (aka Beteiha), just north of the Sea of Galilee (aka Lake Kinneret), three-dimensional paleoseismic investigations were conducted by multiple researchers over a number of years using numerous trenches. The studies examined a series of ~E–W-oriented paleo-channels intersected and sinistrally displaced by the ~N–S-trending active Jordan Gorge Fault, producing a detailed chronology of fault activity over roughly the past 2,000 years, based on radiocarbon dating of detrital charcoal. Once outliers are excluded, this material appears to have a residence time of decades rather than centuries (e.g. see Marco et al., 2005:200). Results indicate that seismic events were more frequent and produced greater fault slip during the first millennium CE than in the second, suggesting the region may be approaching another period of heightened seismic activity.

Wechsler et al. (2014:9) identified six earthquakes in paleo-channel 4 (CH4). Wechsler et al. (2018:216) add that channel 4 crossed the fault in an area where a long, linear, and narrow pressure ridge is interpreted to have produced localized uplift east of the main fault, while subsidence to the west caused sediment thickening. Wechsler et al. (2014:13) identified evidence for Event CH4-E4 in Trenches T37, T33, and at the base of the south wall of Trench T39. On both walls of Trench T37, several small faults ruptured "up through units 450–469," and were capped by "unbroken strata of units 440–449." Within this faulted area, a large fissure was exposed on the south wall, while the "unbroken strata of units 440–449" were observed to thin and pinch out onto the fold scarp, indicating growth of the fold/pressure ridge after deposition of unit 450. In Trench T33, minor faults displaced strata up through unit 450 and appear capped by unit 440–449. Wechsler et al. (2014:13) concluded that "evidence is strong for the occurrence of an event between deposition of units 449 and 450, although the amount of deformation appears less than that associated with event CH4-E6."

Wechsler et al. (2018:Table 3) date this event to 165–236 CE but were unable to estimate offset associated with this event. Dating is based on a Bayesian model of radiocarbon ages. Wechsler et al. (2014:14) note that "the strata between events CH4-E3 and CH4-E4 are only dated by a single [radiocarbon] sample".

Figure 6 - Trench logs for T37 (north and south walls). Event horizons are marked with dashed lines and faults in gray. The inset map and legend are the same as Figure 3 - click on image to open in a new tab - Wechsler at al. (2014)