Archaeoseismological Study of Medieval Monuments at the Foot of Sulaiman-Too Mountain (Osh City, Fergana Valley)

A groundbreaking archaeoseismological study of the Ravat Abdullakhan Mosque in Osh, Kyrgyzstan, reveals severe seismic damage likely caused by the 1822 Kokand earthquake. The analysis, using advanced techniques, identified significant structural deformations such as horizontal displacements, tilts, and rotations, suggesting seismic oscillations with a strength of Il = 8–9 on the MSK-64 scale. The mosque, built in the 16th century on older ruins, may have suffered damage from earlier earthquakes in the 12th and 15th centuries, potentially linked to tectonic movements along the adyr faults near Sulaiman-Too Mountain. This research sheds light on the seismic history of the region and the resilience of medieval architectural heritage.

Korzhenkov, A. M., Amanbaeva, B. E., Anarbaev, A., Ibadullaev, H., Korzhenkova, L. A., Pardaev, M., Strelnikov, A. A., Williams, J., & Fortuna, A. B. (2023). Archaeoseismological Study of Medieval Monuments at the Foot of Sulaiman-Too Mountain (Osh City, Fergana Valley). Izvestiya, Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics, 59(7), 838–856. https://doi.org/10.1134/s0001433823070034