ARCHAELOGISTS FIND BIBLICAL CITY SODOM WHICH WAS "DESTROYED BY GOD"

A decade of digs at the site to the east of Jordan have established the remains of a large Bronze Age city, that experts suspect is Sodom.

According to the Bible, the city was destroyed alongside Gomorrah, as a judgement from God because of its residents involvement in vice and homosexuality which were considered deviant at the time.

A large amount of the city has now been revealed after 10 years, including defences and many plazas connected by roads, and it appears it was abandoned for 700 years before being reoccupied.

The site is in a location called Tall el-Hamaam, which dates back to between 3500 and 1540 BC.

Steven Collins from Trinity Southwestern University in New Mexico, who has led the project, said it was a "monstrous" city compared to others in the area from the same period.

The team has found evidence of a city that was expanded and given defences of thick walls and ramparts, including a 5.2-metre thick mudbrick wall of 10 metres high.

Mr Collins said: "We know very little about the Bronze Age in the south of the Jordan River Valley.

When we explored the region, Tall el-Hammam was an obvious choice, as it was five to ten times larger than the other Bronze Age cities throughout the region, even those found beyond Jordan.

Steven Collins from Trinity Southwestern University in New Mexico

"Most archaeological maps of the area were blank.

"But what we have found is an important city-state, which was unknown before our project began.

"Tall el-Hammam matches the description of the area where Sodom was located according to the Bible.

"It was said to be the largest city east of Kikkar.

"So, I came to the conclusion that if one wanted to find Sodom, one should seek the largest city that existed in this area during the Bronze Age, in the time of Abraham.

"When we explored the region, Tall el-Hammam was an obvious choice, as it was five to ten times larger than the other Bronze Age cities throughout the region, even those found beyond Jordan."

The team is convinced what they have found must be Sodom as their evidence suggests the city thrived due to its location by the Jordan river and major trade routes, how Sodom is described in the Bible.

According to Mr Collins, the huge city was abandoned under mysterious circumstances at the end of the Bronze Age, possibly after an earthquake.

He said: "It became an uninhabited wasteland for over 700 years but then, after those seven centuries, it started to flourish again – as indicated by the huge iron gate that leads into the city."

By Jon Austin published October 13 2015 available in https://www.express.co.uk/news/science/611661/Historic-discovery-Archaeologists-find-Biblical-city-Sodom-which-was-destroyed-by-God. Digitized, adapted and illustrated to be posted by Leopoldo Costa.