Late Roman–Early Byzantine Leukos settlement, Karpathos, Greece: Geoarchaeology, archeoseismology, and paleogeography

This archeoseismologic study focuses on the Leukos settlement that thrived west coast of forearc island Karpathos in 4th−6th centuries CE. The onshore site occupies eastern rim offshore Basin, deepest Aegean basin, a sector Hellenic typically regarded as seismically insignificant. Investigations faulting, sedimentary processes, and secondary earthquake effects (hydraulic fracturing, liquefaction, tilting, landslides) are integrated with observations previously surveyed newly discovered archeological remains to appraise syn- post-Early Byzantine seismicity establish sequence faulting. Calibrated radiocarbon dates, first from Karpathos, indicate intermittent faulting spanning 4th−10th CE, likely contributing early 7th-century CE abandonment Leukos. coseismic rupture competent cobbles whose fractures filled fluidized sediment is an established paleoseismologic tool for recognizing earthquakes magnitude Mw ≥ 6; this extends criterion archeoseismology. underscores need evaluate land movements, sea-level fluctuations, shoreline migration coastal sites. A plausible Late Roman paleogeography emerges which occupied contiguous peninsula rather than surrounding three modern harbors. encourages re-evaluation seismic tsunami hazards ancient Basin.