Long thought by many to have been a mythical city, skeptics may just have to hold that thought as archaeologists believe the city may have finally been found thanks to the discovery of a site known as Tall el-Hammam.
The biblical story of Sodom tells of the city alongside with its twin city Gomorrah being destroyed by God because of the sinful ways of all the inhabitants.
Dating between 1540 and 3500BC, the ancient archaeological site resemblance appears to match the description of Sodom according to the bible, and would have been situated along bronze trade routes.
“Tall el-Hammam matches the description of the area where Sodom was located according to the Bible,” said archaeologist Steven Collins from Trinity Southwestern University in New Mexico. “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.”
Researchers studying the site have also discovered evidence that the city was abandoned in the past due to a large unknown natural disaster, most likely an earthquake. Other experts, however, claim it may have been destroyed by an asteroid.
“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,” said Collins.
