Archaeology & History

Biblical city was destroyed by an asteroid, evidence suggests

By T.K. Randall
September 30, 2023

Image: AI-generated (Midjourney) In the Book of Genesis, the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were completely destroyed by way of fire and brimstone in response to the sins of their inhabitants.

While many scholars have since dismissed the more divine aspects of these events, archaeologists have been finding an increasing body of evidence to suggest that not only did these cities exist, but that they may have genuinely been destroyed in some sort of apocalyptic event.

Most recently, excavations in Jordan have turned up evidence suggesting that Sodom may have been the victim of a devastating asteroid impact that was more powerful than an atomic bomb.Dr. John Bergsma - a theology professor at Ohio's Franciscan University - has long believed that there is sufficient evidence to suggest that the ancient city of Tell el-Hammam - which is also located in Jordan - was destroyed by some form of catastrophe.

Such evidence includes signs of extreme heat on pottery and human remains - a telltale sign of some form of natural disaster. The city had also been prospering for some time beforehand and this seemed to have stopped very abruptly. There was also no sign of a military invasion.

The findings lead Dr. Bergsma to reconsider the biblical story of Sodom and Gomorrah and the possibility that they, like Tell el-Hammam, may have been destroyed by a devastating asteroid strike.

If true, it would provide the inspiration behind the biblical story and explain what fate befell the region and its inhabitants several thousand years ago.

Source: Jerusalem Post

Tags: Asteroid, Sodom