Table of Contents

Preface; 1. Introduction; 2. Earthquake mosaic of the Americas; 3. Myths and legends; 4. Earthquake effects; 5. Earthquakes of Mexico; 6. Earthquakes in the Maya Empire; 7. Earthquakes of Costa Rica, Panama and Columbia; 8. Earthquakes of Peru and Chile; 9. Early California earthquakes; 10. Earthquakes of the northern American cordillera; 11. Earthquakes of eastern and central North America; 12. Conclusions and speculations; Appendix A. Data relating magnitude to extent of Modified Mercalli intensity of VII; Appendix B. Data relating magnitude to extent of Modified Mercalli intensity of > VI, Mexican earthquakes; Appendix C. Rossi–Forel seismic intensity scale; Glossary; Bibliographic summaries; References; Index.

Promotional Information

This 2004 book investigates the relationship between historical earthquakes in the Americas and structural damage at archaeological sites.

Reviews

'... a very companionable initiation into the complexities of teasing out meaningful information on early earthquake experience in the Western Hemisphere. It will serve as a stimulus for anyone who is interested in, and prepared to tackle, the difficult challenges of unravelling the earthquake past in the particular and special circumstances of the Americas.' Geoscientist '... entertaining, intellectually satisfying, and certainly not short on factual and physical detail.' James F. Ni, New Mexico State University 'The book is of interest not only to seismologists, but also to those interested in the early history of those regions.' Journal of Seismology '... [a] scholarly, measured and well illustrated account ... historians and geophysicists will stand to gain more from an archaeoseismology that is free of geophysical prejudice. This book will undoubtedly accelerate this process.' Journal of Paleolimnology