Revisiting the 1114/5 CE earthquake sequence in southern Turkey through modern lens

This study re-evaluates the historical earthquake sequence that struck southern Turkey in 1114/5 CE as one of the most damaging sequences in that region during the last millennium. We use the February 2023 Turkey doublet as a modern analogue to shed light on the spatial and temporal dynamics of the 12th century sequence. By applying geospatial analysis to Intensity Data Points (IDPs) derived from historical sources, we identify persistent damage hotspots associated with the 1114/5 sequence in the Kahramanmaraş–Elbistan and Antakya regions. This damage pattern aligns closely with the 2023 rupture zones, suggesting a repeated scenario of similar fault segments nearly 900 years apart. A rich historical record, including two eyewitness accounts at different endpoints of the fault rupture, is combined with paleoseismic evidence and insights from the February 2023 Turkey doublet to propose that the 1114/5 events likely involved multiple large-magnitude earthquakes, probably triggered in close succession. The study presents a ‘reverse-approach’ differing from traditional historical seismology by using patterns of modern seismicity to constrain pre-instrumental earthquake events. The implications reinforce the East Anatolian Fault Zone’s (EAFZ) capacity for cascading, high-magnitude ruptures and are important for understanding the seismic history of southern Turkey.