Archaeologists have solved the mystery of a medieval village which was abandoned without reason 750 years ago.
Researchers looking into the El Castillejo settlement closeby to Granada, southern Spain, found out that the town was abandoned after an earthquake hit in the 13th century. The team from Durham University's archaeology department collaborated with seismic experts to make the discovery.
They looked at cracked walls and ceramics from the site and found out that an earthquake demolished the settlement in the mid-13th century. Former excavations meant archaeologists were confused as to why the site had been destroyed and abandoned.
The team featured academics from the University of Granada, who said it was likely that the earthquake prompted an enormous fire in the town because of falling candles or braziers. Archaeologists found burnt beams and charred plants at El Castillejo - indicating the settlement was occupied at the time of the seismic tremor.
The experts narrowed the date of the quake to between 1224AD and 1266AD - making it the earliest recorded tremor in the region. The team hope that the revelation will help seismologists understand and predict future earthquakes in the area.
Investigator Professor Christopher Gerrard, medieval archaeologist at Durham University, said: "It’s exciting to combine history, archaeology and geology in this way, and to solve the mystery of a lost Spanish village.
"Our results are important for filling out a lost piece in the jigsaw and a reminder that such a significant region for its cultural heritage can be vulnerable to earthquakes".