The chance discovery of a note in a 15th-century Hebrew prayer book has provided valuable insight into an unknown earthquake that occurred in the Marche region of Italy. The note, found in the Apostolic Vatican Library, describes the destruction caused by the earthquake, including collapsed buildings and devastated cities and villages. The discovery helps to fill a gap in the historical record of Italian earthquakes and highlights the limitations of our understanding of seismogenesis. The note suggests intense shaking in Camerino, with significant damage to buildings. Comparisons with a similar earthquake in 1799 further support this hypothesis. The finding sheds light on the seismic history of the region and the importance of studying historical sources.
https://phys.org/news/2023-11-hebrew-prayer-gap-italian-earthquake.html