Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
In the field of historical studies, a Portuguese Commission for the Seismic
Catalogue, “Comissao do Catalogo Sısmico Nacional (1980-1990)”, composed by
a group of historians, sociologists, among which L. Runa, A. Freire, T. Barata,
L. Braga, M. Wagner, has made considerable contributions to several aspects of
the historical seismicity of Portugal including the 1755 earthquake.
Martinez-Solares (2000), Rodriguez de la Torre (1981-1993), Mezcua (1982)
studied in great detail the effects of the 1755 earthquake in Spain), and Levret (1991)
in Morocco.
After 1990, many contributions in the field of geophysics, seismology, tsunami
science and earthquake engineering were made, namely by: M. Baptista,
M. Bezzeghoud, F. Borges, E. Buforn, F. Carrilho, J. Fonseca, L. Matias, J. Mezcua,
A. Paula, L. Senos, P. Terrinha, P. Teves-Costa, A. Ribeiro, A. Udias, L.M. Victor,
S. Vilanova, N. Zitellini, C.S. Oliveira, J. Vieira de Lemos, J. Azevedo, etc. Among
these, we should emphasize the geophysical campaigns (seismic reflection pro-
files), done in the transition of the oceanic to the continental shelf since 1970,
which were greatly increased in the last 15 years. These were essential for the
knowledge of the bottom of the ocean and of the crustal morphology, which, in
association to the historical and instrumental seismicity, the tsunami studies for
constraining the source mechanism and the wave propagations modelling to esti-
mate the ground motion at different locations of the Iberian Peninsula have given
a new breath to understanding this complex zone. Re-visiting the historical doc-
uments has been made by many experts to extract more reliable information by
interpreting the existing descriptions under all new advancements in science and
technology. In the present paper, following this line of thought, we will use a
few examples to illustrate how historical descriptions can be extremely helpful
to develop new understandings of a complex event of huge proportions such as
this one.
The earthquake of 1755 gave origin to a wide range of contemporaneous writings,
with the descriptions of the effects over the people, the houses, the monuments, the
economic activities, the existing tax regulations, etc., leading to the most different
interpretations. This enormous range of documents includes letters from foreigners
living or travelling by Lisbon, pictures testifying the horrors of the shock, etc. After
the M6.3 earthquake of 1909 in Benavente, 30 km to the NNE of Lisbon, ulterior
studies about the earthquake of 1755 were retaken by different authors. Meanwhile,
all the XIX century is full of literary works describing scenery where we understand
many of the urban developments done in the City of Lisbon.
In the last few years, with the evocations of the 250 anniversary of 1755 earth-
quake, an increase of interest in the above mentioned areas, as well as the arise
of studies in other areas of knowledge including paleoseismology, geography, eco-
nomics, religious and political science, with contributions of experts from all over
the world, has given a considerable push towards a better knowledge of 1755. This
occasion was also important for the publication of other types of works related with
1755. Some are of literacy contents, romance addressing the life style at the time
and describing the aftermath of the event (Chantal 2005, Quenet 2002, Tavares 2005).
Others are full of historical documentation (Amador 2007, Pararas-Carayannis 1997).
Search WWH ::
Custom Search