Bones Throw Light on 1755 Lisbon Quake

It was a chilling discovery: a mass grave of human bones - skulls smashed and scorched by fire, dog bites on a child's thigh bone, a forehead with an apparent bullet hole... [T]he estimated 3,000 dead in the grave were victims of the earthquake that devastated Lisbon in 1755, and that this is the first mass grave of its kind ever found in the Portuguese capital... The quake, which included a tsunami and a fire that raged for six days, was one of the deadliest catastrophes ever to hit western Europe. It is thought to have killed up to 60,000 people, and it destroyed much of the wealthy and elegant capital of a Portuguese empire stretching across Asia, Africa and Latin America... The mass grave held not just human remains but animal and fish bones, bits of pottery and ceramics, clay pipes, buttons, medallions, rosaries and even a thimble. All predated the quake... Scientists also analyzed charcoal, partly melted medallions and sand that had turned into glass - all dug out of the grave. They deduced that temperatures in the post-quake fire reached 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit.

Earthquake Effects Widely Felt

The Lisbon earthquake caused considerable damage not only in Portugal but in Spain - particularly in Madrid and Seville. The shock waves were felt throughout Europe and North Africa, over an area of about 1,300,000 square miles.

In Europe, ground motions were felt in Spain, France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, and as far away as the Duchy of Luxembourg and Sweden. Unusual phenomena were observed at great distances. For example, seiches were observed in Finland. In Italy, an ongoing volcanic eruption of Vesuvius stopped abruptly.

Precursory phenomena also had been widely observed prior to the great earthquake. For example in Spain, there had been reports of falling water levels. Turbid waters and a decrease in water flow in springs and fountains had been reported in both Portugal and Spain.

In North Africa the quake caused heavy loss of life in towns of Algeria and Morocco - more than 400 miles south of Lisbon. The town of Algiers was completely destroyed. Tangiers suffered great loss of lives and extensive damage. The earthquake was particularly destructive in Morocco, where approximately 10,000 people lost their lives. Archival records document that the coastal towns of Rabat, Larache, Asilah, and Agadir (named Santa Cruz while under Portuguese rule) suffered much damage. Even the interior cities of Fez, Meknes and Marrakesh were similarly damaged. In Meknes, numerous casualties occurred. Churches, mosques and many other buildings collapsed.

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