Archaeological remains of the 1202 earthquake in the Frankish village of Tarphile/Khirbat al-Manḥata¹

The Frankish village of Tarphile (Arabic Khirbat al-Manḥata) is located between the 12th-century castle of Castellum Regis and the 13th-century castle of Montfort, almost 22 km north-east of Acre. The village contains remarkable remains from the period, including a large quarry, towers and remains of houses. Recent excavations in the village were able to identify the remains of one of the most severe earthquakes to have hit the Levant in the last 2000 years; the first archaeological evidence for this event to have been found outside the Jordan Valley. This study, which draws upon both historical accounts and archaeological remains, seeks to identify and date the earthquake. It also shows that the effect of the earthquake, and the form taken by the resulting destruction at Tarphile, was different from that found in the Jordan Valley. In addition, this article seeks to consider the impact of the earthquake on day-to-day life in the area, post-destruction.