Historical Snapshot: The 1759 Earthquake That Destroyed Baalbek

After the great earthquakes of 551 and 1202 AD, one last major series of earthquakes would hit Lebanon and the region in 1759. The earthquakes, one of which happened in October and the other in November, have been rated up to IX (violent) on the Mercalli Intensity Scale. They dealt considerable damage to the cities of Tripoli, Tyre, Acre, Nablus, and Hama and are said to have completely wiped out every village in the Bekaa valley.



The earthquake was once again caused by the region’s position on the Dead Sea Transform, although this time the exact fault that caused it is subject of debate. Although some believe it was caused by the Yammouneh fault (the one responsible for the quake of 1202), others have tried to prove that it was actually due to the Rachaya-Serghaya faults.

At the time, the affected regions had been part of the Ottoman Empire. It is estimated that anywhere between 2,000 to 20,000 people died directly due to the earthquakes.




Baalbek in 1751

The region that was most affected by destruction was the Bekaa valley, where the already deteriorating ruins of Baalbek would be hit hard. Although there are different historical accounts of the earthquake and its effects, it is perhaps the drawings of James Bruce that give a more comprehensive picture of the devastation that hit the area.

James Bruce was a Scottish businessman who had joined the British 18th century imperial apparatus. Initially just a wine tradesman, he would go on to become one of the first Europeans to find the origin of the Nile River. During the course of his work, he was introduced to the then British monarch, King George III, who tasked him with recording and drawing every architectural monument he saw on his travels.

In Lebanon, he would meet Emir Yusuf Chehab, who would give him the necessary documents to enter Baalbek. There, he would go on a few journeys and return to the king with a large number of impressive drawings. However, there is some debate about if he actually drew them or if it was his assistant Luigi Balugani.




Baalbek in 1767

These drawings attest to the damage that had been inflicted on Baalbek by the earthquakes. According to accounts, the temples were in real threat of collapse. However, they had survived until at least 1898, when German Emperor William II went on a trip to the region and marveled at their beauty. The emperor was appalled at the condition they were in, mentioning the issue to then Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid.

This would lead to the arrival of a German delegation of archaeologists, and work to restore and save the temples began in September 1900, keeping them standing until this day.


Sources:

– Norman N. Lewis, Baalbek Before and After the Earthquake of 1759:
the Drawings of James Bruce

– Daeron et al., Sources of the large A.D. 1202 and 1759 Near East earthquakes