In the Taybeh Trench, excavated across the Arava Fault, Lefevre et al. (2018) identify Event E6 as a rupture expressed within the laminated sandy succession overlying layer F and extending upward toward layer H. The event is defined by a set of faults that can be traced through layers F and G, where deformation is clearly visible despite the more ambiguous expression at higher stratigraphic levels. Unlike E7, which is characterized by small, localized cracks, E6 is expressed by a more coherent set of fractures that penetrate multiple layers. These faults reach layer H, a thin, coarse sandy unit, but their upper terminations are difficult to identify because the base of layer H is irregular and erosive. As a result, direct measurement of vertical displacement is not possible at the event horizon, even though the continuity of fractures through underlying laminated units provides clear evidence of a surface-rupturing event.

The structural expression of E6 is therefore intermediate between the weakly expressed E7 and the more clearly defined younger events. The faults cutting layers F and G indicate brittle failure affecting relatively well-stratified sediments, while the lack of a clear offset at layer H reflects both the coarse nature of the unit and the erosional character of its base. As in other trench observations across strike-slip systems, lateral displacement is not directly observable, and deformation is instead recorded through fracture networks and subtle vertical components of motion. From a tectonic perspective, E6 reflects continued activity along a dominantly strike-slip fault system, with deformation expressed through a combination of fracturing and minor vertical motion. The penetration of faults through multiple laminated layers suggests a rupture of sufficient magnitude to affect the upper sedimentary sequence, even if the precise displacement cannot be quantified. The absence of clear offset at the event horizon is likely a product of stratigraphic conditions rather than an indication of negligible deformation. From a depositional standpoint, the occurrence of E6 at the transition into layer H indicates that seismic deformation took place during a phase of changing sedimentary conditions, from well-laminated sands to a thinner, coarser unit with an irregular base. The erosional nature of this contact has reduced the preservation of the upper part of the deformation zone, obscuring the exact termination of faults and limiting the ability to reconstruct the full extent of displacement. Nevertheless, the clear fracturing within layers F and G provides a reliable indicator of the event.

Chronologically, E6 is relatively well constrained compared to earlier events. Based on Bayesian modeling of radiocarbon dating of detrital charcoal samples from bounding units, Lefevre et al. (2018) place the event between approximately 160 BCE and 117 BCE ( 2σ). This relatively narrow interval reflects improved availability of datable material and clearer stratigraphic relationships within the laminated units, allowing E6 to be distinguished more precisely within the Taybeh earthquake sequence.

Figure 1 - (a) Detailed log of the southern wall of the trench. Units are differentiated according to facies. White dots indicate locations of ¹⁴C samples collected from both walls (the samples collected from the northern wall are represented at a stratigraphically and structurally equivalent location on the southern wall log). - Click on image to open in a new tab - LeFevre et al (2018)