Biblical Sodom? (Bab Edh-Dhra)
Located 15 miles north of Lot’s Cave, Bab Edh-Dhra is an enigmatic archaeological site along the eastern shoreline of the Dead Sea. Dating to the Early Bronze Age (about 2500 BCE), this ancient site had about 1000 inhabitants. Yet around the town, archaeologists recoreded over 20,000 family burial caves. Compared to the size of the town, the mass graveyard is an enigma, and so is the cause of the city’s destruction. Some scholars suggest identifying this site with the biblical Sodom, which God destroyed because of its inhabitants’ sins (Genesis 19:25).
Furthermore, 9 miles south of Bab Edh-Dhra is another Early Bronze site destroyed around the same time. Called ‘Numeirah,’ some suggest identifying this site with biblical Gomorrah. Combined with geological formations like Lot’s wife pillar, these sites provide an essential understanding of how biblical narratives developed.
The Mysterious Cemetery at Kh. Qazone
In addition to these intriguing sites, near Bab edh-Dhra and south of the Route 50 and 65 junction is another enigmatic cemetery site. Called in Arabic ‘Khirbet Qazone,’ this site yielded 3500 tombs from the Roman period, similar to the ones found in Qumran. While the Qumran cemetery is associated with the site, the identity and context of people buried in the Khirbet Qazone cemetery remains a mystery.
A vist to these sites can be combined with a multi-day tour of Jordan.
