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Lake Amik

French postcard of The Lake of Antioch, showing its setting in Amik Plain. Early 20th century

Wikipedia - Unknown - Fair Use


Introduction
Hydrology and history

Lake Amik was located in the centre of Amik Plain (Turkish: Amik Ovası) on the northernmost part of the Dead Sea Transform and historically covered an area of some 300–350 km2 (120–140 sq mi), increasing during flood periods.[1]: 2  It was surrounded by extensive marshland.[citation needed]

Sedimentary analysis has suggested that Lake Amik was formed, in its final state, in the past 3,000 years by episodic floods and silting up of the outlet to the Orontes River.[2] This dramatic increase in the lake's area had displaced many settlements during the classical period;[3] the lake became an important source of fish and shellfish for the surrounding area and the city of Antioch.[4] The 14th century Arab geographer Abu al-Fida described the lake as having sweet water and being 20 mi (32 km) long and 7 mi (11 km) wide,[5] while an 18th-century traveller, Richard Pococke, noted that it was then locally called "Bahr-Agoule (the White Lake) by reaſon of the colour of its waters".[6]

By the 20th century, the lake supported around 50,000 inhabitants in 70 villages, who took part in stock raising, reed harvesting, fishing (with a particularly significant eel fishery) and agriculture, crops and fodder being grown on pastures formed during the summer as the lake waters receded.[1]: 3  They also constructed dwellings, locally known as Huğ, from reeds gathered in the lake.[citation needed]

Maps and Aerial Views
Maps and Aerial Views

Maps

Broad Scale Tectonic, Fault, and Seismicity Maps

Normal Size

  • Fig. 1 Simplified tectonic
    Fig. 1

    Simplified tectonic setting of the eastern Mediterranean and surroundings, complied from Hall et al. (2005) and Reilinger et al. (2006).
    • KOTJ: Karlıova Triple Junction
    • MTJ: Kahramanmaraş (or Türkoğlu) Triple Junction
    • ATJ: Amik Triple Junction
    • DSF: Dead Sea Fault
    • EAF: East Anatolian Fault
    • NAF: North Anatolian Fault
    • Sin: Sinai Block
    • ST: Strabo Trench
    • PT: Pliny Trench
    • Anb: Antalya Basin
    • Cb: Cilicia Basin
    • Mb: Mesaoria Basin
    • Lb: Latakia Basin
    • Cyb: Cyprus Basin
    • TR: Tartus Ridge
    • HF: Hatay Fault
    • MK: Misis-Kyrenia Fault Zone
    • Ab: Adana Basin
    • Ib: Iskenderun Basin
    • KOF: Karataş-Osmaniye Fault
    • PF: Paphos Fault
    • white arrows and their corresponding numbers indicate the plate velocities relative to the Eurasian Plate, as derived from the GPS data
    • black lines indicate major faults, and the arrows along the faults indicate offset direction
    • Hatched black lines with triangles indicate subduction zones
    • Hatched white rectangle shows location of inset map. B. The detailed bathymetry in the eastern Mediterranean Sea (after Hall et al., 2005)
    • Black rectangle shows study area
    Tari et al. (2013)
    setting of the eastern Mediterranean and surroundings from Tari et al. (2013)
  • Fig. 2 Major active faults
    Fig. 2

    A digital elevation model for the study area and its surroundings, showing the major active faults and the morphotectonic units.

    • MTJ: Kahramanmaraş or Türkoğlu Triple Junction
    • ATJ: Amik Triple Junction

    Tari et al. (2013)
    and the morphotectonic units from Tari et al. (2013)
  • Fig. 19 GPS velocity
    Fig. 19

    The GPS velocity field relative to fixed Arabian Plate (GPS data from Alchalbi et al., 2010; Meghraoui et al., 2011; Reilinger et al., 2006). The abbreviations indicate GPS observation campaigns by Reilinger et al. (2006) and Alchalbi et al. (2010). The fault slip rates (mm/y) were deduced from Mahmoud et al. (2012). The top numbers in each rectangle give strike-slip rates, positive being left-lateral. The other numbers in each rectangle give fault-normal slip rates, positive equalling closing.

    • CAF– Cyprus-Antakya Fault
    • ATJ: Amik Triple Junction
    • DSF: Dead Sea Fault

    Tari et al. (2013)
    field relative to fixed Arabian Plate from Tari et al. (2013)
  • Fig. 1 East Anatolian Fault
    Fig. 1
    East Anatolian fault between Karlıova and Gulf of İskenderun; Major fault zones in the vicinity plotted in black (simplified from Emre et al. 2018). Inset map shows the active tectonic framework of the Eastern Mediterranean region (from Emre et al. 2018). Dashed polygon indicates the study area. Abbreviations:
    • NAFZ North Anatolian fault zone
    • EAFZ East Anatolian fault zone
    • NS Northern strand
    • SS Southern strand
    • PE Pontic Escarpment
    • LC Lesser Caucasus
    • GC Great Caucasus
    • WAEP West Anatolian Extensional Provence
    • CAP Central Anatolian Provence
    • WAEP Eastern Anatolian Compressional Provence
    • DSFZ Dead Sea fault zone
    • HA Hellenic arc
    • PFFZ Palmyra fold and fault zone
    • CA Cyprian arc
    • SATZ Southeast Anatolian thrust zone
    • SMFS Sürgü–Misis fault system
    • MKF Misis–Kyrenia fault
    • MF Malatya fault
    • SF Sarız fault
    • EF Ecemiş fault
    • DF Deliler fault
    1. Karlıova fault segment
    2. Ilıca fault segment
    3. Palu fault segment
    4. Pütürge fault segment
    5. Erkenek fault segment
    6. Pazarcık fault segment
    7. Amanos fault segment
    8. Sürgü fault segment
    9. Çardak fault segment
    10. Savrun fault segment
    11. Çokak fault segment
    12. Toprakkale fault segment
    13. Karataş fault segment
    14. Yumurtalık fault segment
    15. Düziçi–Osmaniye fault zone;
    16. Misis fault segment
    17. Engizek fault zone
    18. Maraş fault zone
    Duman et al. (2020)
    Map from Duman et al. (2020)
  • Fig. 2 Historical and    
    Fig. 2

    Distribution of both historical (a) and instrumental (b) earthquakes along the western segments of Sürgü–Misis fault (SMF) system around the Gulf of İskenderun (simplified from Duman and Emre, 2013). Thick red and black lines indicate the SMF system (north strand) and south strand of the East Anatolian fault zone, respectively. The locations of historical earthquakes are from Tan et al. (2008), Ambraseys (1988), Ambraseys and Jackson (1998) and Başarır Baştürk et al. (2017). The instrumental data are from Kalafat et al. (2011), Aktar et al. (2000), Ergin et al. (2004) and Kadirioğlu et al. (2018). The focal mechanisms are from Kılıç et al. (2017). The letter inside boxes refers to the source for the historical earthquakes as given by Tan et al. (2008).
    • ST Shebalin and Tatevossian (1997)
    • KU Kondorskaya and Ulomov (1999)
    • EG Guidoboni et al. (1994)
    • EG2 Guidoboni and Comastri (2005)
    • AM Ambraseys (1988)
    • AJ Ambraseys and Jackson (1998)
    • MFS Misis fault segment
    • KFS Karataş fault segment
    • YFS Yumurtalık fault segment
    • DİFZ Düziçi–İskenderun fault zone
    • AFS Amanos fault segment
    • YEFS Yesemek fault segment
    • AFFS Afrin fault segment
    • NFZ Narlı fault zone
    • MFZ Maraş fault zone
    • EFZ Engizek fault zone
    • ÇOFS Çokak fault segment
    • SAFS Savrun fault segment
    • TFS Toprakkale fault segment
    • ÇFS Çardak fault segment
    • SFS, Sürgü fault segment

    Duman et al. (2020)
    Instrumental earthquakes along the western Sürgü–Misis fault (SMF) system from Duman et al. (2020)
  • Fig. 3 Geologic map of
    Fig. 3

    The geologic map of the Antakya Graben

    Tari et al. (2013)
    the Antakya Graben from Tari et al. (2013)
  • Fig. 4 Generalized columnar
    Fig. 4

    A generalized columnar stratigraphic section through the Antakya Graben

    Tari et al. (2013)
    stratigraphic section through the Antakya Graben from Tari et al. (2013)

Magnified

  • Fig. 1 Simplified tectonic
    Fig. 1
    Simplified tectonic setting of the eastern Mediterranean and surroundings, complied from Hall et al. (2005) and Reilinger et al. (2006).
    • KOTJ: Karlıova Triple Junction
    • MTJ: Kahramanmaraş (or Türkoğlu) Triple Junction
    • ATJ: Amik Triple Junction
    • DSF: Dead Sea Fault
    • EAF: East Anatolian Fault
    • NAF: North Anatolian Fault
    • Sin: Sinai Block
    • ST: Strabo Trench
    • PT: Pliny Trench
    • Anb: Antalya Basin
    • Cb: Cilicia Basin
    • Mb: Mesaoria Basin
    • Lb: Latakia Basin
    • Cyb: Cyprus Basin
    • TR: Tartus Ridge
    • HF: Hatay Fault
    • MK: Misis-Kyrenia Fault Zone
    • Ab: Adana Basin
    • Ib: Iskenderun Basin
    • KOF: Karataş-Osmaniye Fault
    • PF: Paphos Fault
    • white arrows and their corresponding numbers indicate the plate velocities relative to the Eurasian Plate, as derived from the GPS data
    • black lines indicate major faults, and the arrows along the faults indicate offset direction
    • Hatched black lines with triangles indicate subduction zones
    • Hatched white rectangle shows location of inset map. B. The detailed bathymetry in the eastern Mediterranean Sea (after Hall et al., 2005)
    • Black rectangle shows study area

    Tari et al. (2013)
    setting of the eastern Mediterranean and surroundings from Tari et al. (2013)
  • Fig. 2 Major active faults
    Fig. 2

    A digital elevation model for the study area and its surroundings, showing the major active faults and the morphotectonic units.

    • MTJ: Kahramanmaraş or Türkoğlu Triple Junction
    • ATJ: Amik Triple Junction

    Tari et al. (2013)
    and the morphotectonic units from Tari et al. (2013)
  • Fig. 19 GPS velocity
    Fig. 19

    The GPS velocity field relative to fixed Arabian Plate (GPS data from Alchalbi et al., 2010; Meghraoui et al., 2011; Reilinger et al., 2006). The abbreviations indicate GPS observation campaigns by Reilinger et al. (2006) and Alchalbi et al. (2010). The fault slip rates (mm/y) were deduced from Mahmoud et al. (2012). The top numbers in each rectangle give strike-slip rates, positive being left-lateral. The other numbers in each rectangle give fault-normal slip rates, positive equalling closing.

    • CAF– Cyprus-Antakya Fault
    • ATJ: Amik Triple Junction
    • DSF: Dead Sea Fault

    Tari et al. (2013)
    field relative to fixed Arabian Plate from Tari et al. (2013)
  • Fig. 1 East Anatolian Fault
    Fig. 1
    East Anatolian fault between Karlıova and Gulf of İskenderun; Major fault zones in the vicinity plotted in black (simplified from Emre et al. 2018). Inset map shows the active tectonic framework of the Eastern Mediterranean region (from Emre et al. 2018). Dashed polygon indicates the study area. Abbreviations:
    • NAFZ North Anatolian fault zone
    • EAFZ East Anatolian fault zone
    • NS Northern strand
    • SS Southern strand
    • PE Pontic Escarpment
    • LC Lesser Caucasus
    • GC Great Caucasus
    • WAEP West Anatolian Extensional Provence
    • CAP Central Anatolian Provence
    • WAEP Eastern Anatolian Compressional Provence
    • DSFZ Dead Sea fault zone
    • HA Hellenic arc
    • PFFZ Palmyra fold and fault zone
    • CA Cyprian arc
    • SATZ Southeast Anatolian thrust zone
    • SMFS Sürgü–Misis fault system
    • MKF Misis–Kyrenia fault
    • MF Malatya fault
    • SF Sarız fault
    • EF Ecemiş fault
    • DF Deliler fault
    1. Karlıova fault segment
    2. Ilıca fault segment
    3. Palu fault segment
    4. Pütürge fault segment
    5. Erkenek fault segment
    6. Pazarcık fault segment
    7. Amanos fault segment
    8. Sürgü fault segment
    9. Çardak fault segment
    10. Savrun fault segment
    11. Çokak fault segment
    12. Toprakkale fault segment
    13. Karataş fault segment
    14. Yumurtalık fault segment
    15. Düziçi–Osmaniye fault zone;
    16. Misis fault segment
    17. Engizek fault zone
    18. Maraş fault zone
    Duman et al. (2020)
    Map from Duman et al. (2020)
  • Fig. 2 Historical and    
    Fig. 2

    Distribution of both historical (a) and instrumental (b) earthquakes along the western segments of Sürgü–Misis fault (SMF) system around the Gulf of İskenderun (simplified from Duman and Emre, 2013). Thick red and black lines indicate the SMF system (north strand) and south strand of the East Anatolian fault zone, respectively. The locations of historical earthquakes are from Tan et al. (2008), Ambraseys (1988), Ambraseys and Jackson (1998) and Başarır Baştürk et al. (2017). The instrumental data are from Kalafat et al. (2011), Aktar et al. (2000), Ergin et al. (2004) and Kadirioğlu et al. (2018). The focal mechanisms are from Kılıç et al. (2017). The letter inside boxes refers to the source for the historical earthquakes as given by Tan et al. (2008).
    • ST Shebalin and Tatevossian (1997)
    • KU Kondorskaya and Ulomov (1999)
    • EG Guidoboni et al. (1994)
    • EG2 Guidoboni and Comastri (2005)
    • AM Ambraseys (1988)
    • AJ Ambraseys and Jackson (1998)
    • MFS Misis fault segment
    • KFS Karataş fault segment
    • YFS Yumurtalık fault segment
    • DİFZ Düziçi–İskenderun fault zone
    • AFS Amanos fault segment
    • YEFS Yesemek fault segment
    • AFFS Afrin fault segment
    • NFZ Narlı fault zone
    • MFZ Maraş fault zone
    • EFZ Engizek fault zone
    • ÇOFS Çokak fault segment
    • SAFS Savrun fault segment
    • TFS Toprakkale fault segment
    • ÇFS Çardak fault segment
    • SFS, Sürgü fault segment

    Duman et al. (2020)
    Instrumental earthquakes along the western Sürgü–Misis fault (SMF) system from Duman et al. (2020)
  • Fig. 3 Geologic map of
    Fig. 3

    The geologic map of the Antakya Graben

    Tari et al. (2013)
    the Antakya Graben from Tari et al. (2013)
  • Fig. 4 Generalized columnar
    Fig. 4

    A generalized columnar stratigraphic section through the Antakya Graben

    Tari et al. (2013)
    stratigraphic section through the Antakya Graben from Tari et al. (2013)

Localized Maps

Normal Size

  • Fig. 1 Active Faults and
    Fig. 1

    1. The Dead Sea Fault Zone between the Red Sea to the south and East Anatolian Fault to the north
    2. Main active faults in the Amik Basin area (from Karabacak 2007) and locations of ancient settlements (Tells) as depicted from the Antioch Museum of Archeology. The 1822 and 1872 earthquake epicentres (black stars) are from Ambraseys (1989). The ancient road between Antakya and Aleppo is indicated by dashed green line (Roat 1991).

    Altunel et al. (2009)
    Ancient Settlements in the Amik Basin from Altunel et al. (2009)
  • Fig. 2a Fault map and
    Fig. 2a

    The northernmost section of the DSF (From Karabacak 2007) and the locations of Sıçantarla site (ST) and ancient bridge (road). Numbers with m (e.g. 100 m) indicates amount of left-lateral displacement on stream beds.

    Altunel et al. (2009)
    Location Map of Northernmost DST from Altunel et al. (2009)
  • Fig. 10a Roman roads
    Fig. 10a

    Map of Roman roads around the Amik Basin

    (redrawn from Buschmann & Högemann 1989)

    Altunel et al. (2009)
    around the Amik Basin from Altunel et al. (2009)
  • Fig. 10 b and c
    Fig. 10 b and c

    (b) Map of Assyrian trade roads around the Amik Basin (redrawn from Roat 1991)

    (c) Hittite writings on a stone near the offset ancient road (see Fig. 3b for location)

    Altunel et al. (2009)
    Assyrian trade roads around the Amik Basin from Altunel et al. (2009)
  • Map of the Plain of Antioch
    The Plain of Antioch and its Environs

    Key Map Scale 1:400,000

    Braidwood (1937)
    and its environs from Braidwood (1937)
  • Map of the Plain of Antioch
    Legend for Map of The Plain of Antioch and its Environs

    Key Map Scale 1:400,000

    Braidwood (1937)
    and its environs (legend) from Braidwood (1937)

Magnified

  • Fig. 1 Active Faults and
    Fig. 1

    1. The Dead Sea Fault Zone between the Red Sea to the south and East Anatolian Fault to the north
    2. Main active faults in the Amik Basin area (from Karabacak 2007) and locations of ancient settlements (Tells) as depicted from the Antioch Museum of Archeology. The 1822 and 1872 earthquake epicentres (black stars) are from Ambraseys (1989). The ancient road between Antakya and Aleppo is indicated by dashed green line (Roat 1991).

    Altunel et al. (2009)
    Ancient Settlements in the Amik Basin from Altunel et al. (2009)
  • Fig. 2a Fault map and
    Fig. 2a

    The northernmost section of the DSF (From Karabacak 2007) and the locations of Sıçantarla site (ST) and ancient bridge (road). Numbers with m (e.g. 100 m) indicates amount of left-lateral displacement on stream beds.

    Altunel et al. (2009)
    Location Map of Northernmost DST from Altunel et al. (2009)
  • Fig. 10a Roman roads
    Fig. 10a

    Map of Roman roads around the Amik Basin

    (redrawn from Buschmann & Högemann 1989)

    Altunel et al. (2009)
    around the Amik Basin from Altunel et al. (2009)
  • Fig. 10 b and c
    Fig. 10 b and c

    (b) Map of Assyrian trade roads around the Amik Basin (redrawn from Roat 1991)

    (c) Hittite writings on a stone near the offset ancient road (see Fig. 3b for location)

    Altunel et al. (2009)
    Assyrian trade roads around the Amik Basin from Altunel et al. (2009)
  • Map of the Plain of Antioch
    The Plain of Antioch and its Environs

    Key Map Scale 1:400,000

    Braidwood (1937)
    and its environs from Braidwood (1937)

Aerial Views

  • Amik Valley in Google Earth
    Amik Valley

    click on image to explore this site in a new tab in Google Earth

References
References

Articles and Books

Altunel, E., et al. (2009). "Archaeological sites (Tell and Road) offset by the Dead Sea Fault in the Amik Basin, Southern Turkey ." Geophysical Journal International 179(3): 1313-1329. - open access

Hubert-Ferrari, A. () The Amik Lake in Southern Turkey over the last 4000 years, a new paleoseismological record of ruptures along the Northern Dead Sea Fault, Abstract

Tari, U., et al. (2013). "Geology and morphology of the Antakya Graben between the Amik Triple Junction and the Cyprus Arc." 2064. - open access

Websites

Webpage for Aurélia Hubert-Ferrari at Liege University

Excavation Reports and Archaeological Surveys

Braidwood, R. J. (1937) Mounds in the plain of Antioch: an archeological survey , University of Chicago. Oriental Institute publications. - open access from the University of Chicago

Notes
Notes

Abstract - Hubert-Ferrari ()

The study focuses on the sedimentary record of the Amik Lake occupying the central part of a pull-apart basin. The Basin is crossed by The Dead Sea Fault (DSF), a major neotectonic structure in the Middle East extending from the Red Sea in the south to the East Anatolian Fault Zone in the north. Around the Amik Basin, continuous human occupation is attested since 6000-7000 BC. Indeed the low-lying Amuq plain is covered by tell settlements first explored by Robert Braidwood in the 1930s. Our objective in this presentation is to look at major paleo-environmental changes recorded in the Amik Lake over the last 4000 years and in particular its potential paleoseimic sedimentary record. The lake has been drained and progressively dried up since the mid-50s so that it is not watered during the summer season and constitutes a unique opportunity to collect sediment records. Sediments were collected at 1 cm to 2 cm intervals in a trench and in cores up to a depth of 5 meters in the clay deposits. A diverse array of complementary methods is applied to study the records: magnetic susceptibility, grain size, organic matter and inorganic carbon (L.O.I), XRD mineralogy, XRF geochemistry, carbon geochemistry and clay mineralogy. The age of the record is constrained combining radionuclide and radiocarbon dating. The sedimentary record shows large earthquake related structural disturbances and smaller siliciclastic sedimentary events. The siliciclastic input would be related to enhanced detritical sedimentation related to earthquake shaking. The latter is further investigated looking at intensities and shake maps related to the last 19th century M>7 earthquakes in the area and landslide prone area in the lake catchment.

Wikipedia Pages

Amik Valley



Lake Amik



Orontes River



Tell Judaidah



Chatal Höyük (Amuq)



Tell Tayinat



Alalakh



Hatay Airport