Problems of Engineering Seismology: article

Аnnotation: We have conducted a complex of archaeological, archaeoseismological and seismotectonic works in Salachik - the ancient capital of the Crimean khans on the outskirts of the modern Bakhchisarai city (Crimea). There were identified considerable damage and deformations in medieval buildings which survived until now, as well as in constructions revealed by archaeological excavations: significant tilts of the building walls, shifts of certain structural elements, rotations of wall fragments and individual building blocks around a vertical axis, a significant deformation of arch structures, through-going joints piercing a few adjacent building blocks. This complex deformation indicates their seismogenic origin. We have found traces of at least two strong earthquakes in medieval monuments in Salachik. Using the kinematic indicators, at least for one of them, we were able to identify the direction of arrival of the summary maximum seismic oscillations (VIII ≤ I ≤ IX points) from the west. According to historical seismology data there was also determined the exact age of one of the earthquakes: 30 April 1698. The Salachik buildings were also damaged by earthquakes in 1927. These materials must be used for a more accurate seismic hazard assessment in the Crimean peninsula.