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The Destruction of Sodom: Asteroid Impact or Religious Fantasy?
Debate swirls around claims an asteroid impact lies behind the behind the biblical story of Sodom.
Did an asteroid or comet smash into a town in modern day Jordan several thousand years ago? One recent paper, published in Scientific Reports, argues just that — but the validity of their research, and the biblical speculation they invoke, has been criticised by several other scientists.
The town in question, Tall el-Hammam, stood for thousands of years as the capital of a small city state. Sometime around 1600BC it was suddenly abandoned, and then left unoccupied for centuries. What exactly happened to the town, and the reason for its sudden abandonment, are unclear.
There are, indeed, several possible causes. One, perhaps the most likely, is warfare. The ancient world was a violent place, and it is easy to imagine a victorious army overrunning the town and burning it to the ground. Natural disaster is another possibility. The Jordan Valley, where Tall el-Hammam lay, is prone to earthquakes.
To learn more, a team of archaeologists and researchers from America and Europe took a closer look at the ruins. They report no sign of warfare or violence. There are no arrow heads or sling stones lying in the…
