A team of archaeologists claims to have unearthed the ancient biblical city of Sodom in Jordan. The excavation at Tall el Hammam has revealed a Bronze Age city-state that matches 'every Sodom criterion', according to lead archaeologist Steven Collins.
The site, located in the Jordan Valley, features remains of defensive walls 10 metres high and five metres thick, with some structures thought to have towered 30 metres. The city comprised an upper and lower area, where inhabitants lived according to their wealth, including a 'Red Palace' in the upper city.
Collins and his team have been digging at the site for a decade, uncovering evidence of palatial buildings. He told Popular Archaeology that the choice of Tall el Hammam as the site of Sodom was 'virtually a no-brainer', as it was at least five to ten times larger than all other Bronze Age sites in the region.
According to the Book of Genesis, God destroyed Sodom and neighbouring Gomorrah with fire and brimstone due to their residents' depraved behaviour. The names have since become synonymous with sin and vice. The excavation suggests life in the city came to a sudden halt, with the site abandoned for 700 years.
