Project launched to protect ancient cities from earthquakes

İZMİR

A preservation project has been launched to protect cultural assets in the ancient cities of İzmir and Manisa, where scientists have identified fault lines that could generate earthquakes of 7 magnitude and where signs of previous seismic activity are still visible.

Professor Hasan Sözbilir, a faculty member in the Geology Department of Dokuz Eylül University and member of the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) Scientific Support Board, said that geological studies in ancient cities intensified after the İzmir earthquake on Oct. 30, 2020, and the Kahramanmaraş earthquake on Feb. 6, 2023.

Sözbilir explained that this work revealed earthquake damage in some excavated ancient structures, making them develop a project for earthquake protection for ancient cities as well as modern ones.

According to Sözbilir, the “Multidisciplinary Approach Project for the Protection and Sustainability of Ancient Cities Against Earthquakes” receives support from Dokuz Eylül University, YÖK and AFAD.

"Archaeologists bring our cultural heritage to light, but no reinforcement or mechanism has been fully set up to make them resistant to earthquakes. In response, we proposed a project to the university, gathering expertise from various disciplines like archaeology, geology, geophysics, civil engineering, urban and regional planning, architecture and tourism. This project also received support from YÖK’s Research Universities Support Program," Sözbilir said.

Sözbilir stated that, beginning in January, the project will focus on excavated and uncovered cultural assets in ancient cities in İzmir and Manisa, using virtual simulations to assess how these structures would respond to nearby faults in case of earthquakes.

In the next phase, architectural designs will be developed to ensure these cultural structures can withstand earthquakes.

"We will carry out this work in five locations: Thyateira in Akhisar, Sardis in Manisa, Pergamon in İzmir’s Bergama, Ephesus in Selçuk and Metropolis in Torbalı. We will propose what needs to be done. The work is conducted with full knowledge of relevant state institutions, and AFAD gives us strong support under the Türkiye Risk Decreasing Plan. It is important to protect our cultural assets from earthquakes. We witnessed this in the most tragic way with the Feb. 6, 2023, earthquake. Our cultural heritage must also be preserved."