Everyone knows the biblical passage about Sodom and Gomorrah, cities that, according to Holy Scripture, were places that would have been destroyed by God's fury - and, according to some people's interpretations, they and the population were condemned for their behavior. degenerate ”of its inhabitants.

(Wikimedia Commons / John Martin)

Regardless of the reading of the text, the fact is that, to this day, no one knows for sure if Sodom and Gomorrah were even real places - since no evidence was found to confirm with absolute certainty that cities existed.

Still, researchers at Trinity Southwest University - a Christian institution in Albuquerque, New Mexico - found a number of ruins a few years ago on the shores of the Dead Sea, specifically the Jordan Valley, in a place known as Ghor., and put forward the theory that these ancient settlements inspired the creation of the myth of the two cities.

News

For now, the same team of scientists - who have been conducting excavations at the site for at least 10 years - announced that traces were found that the area was the scene of a collision of a space rock for 3, 700 years, an impact that would have caused the obliteration of the communities in the area, including in this case Sodom and Gomorrah (or the localities that inspired the "legends").

(Science News / Fightbegin / Istock.com)

The researchers conducted explorations at 5 different sites in Ghor, and found evidence that the area, which used to be a breeding ground for food crops, has been continuously occupied for at least 2, 500 years. Estimates indicate that between 40, 000 and 65, 000 people lived in the territory, however, around the end of the Bronze Age, the region collapsed and showed no human occupation for the next 600 or 700 years.

Destruction that came from heaven

Surveys have revealed that something calamitous caused the sudden destruction of the structures - basically built of mud bricks - that were there, and dating by radiocarbon pointed out that this happened 3, 700 years ago.

(News.com.au)

In addition, soil analysis from various regions of the region showed the presence of zirconium crystals and ceramic fragments in the upper layers with signs of melting, suggesting that all of these pieces and the surface of the site were exposed to temperatures that may have reached temperatures. 4, 000 degrees Celsius.

What the researchers propose is that a space rock exploded and disintegrated over the Jordan Valley, leaving a trail of destruction and death throughout the area. The evidence seems quite solid and, while not proving that the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were real, they seem to explain what may have happened thousands of years ago. Interesting, right?

***

Do you know the Mega Curioso newsletter? Weekly, we produce exclusive content for lovers of the biggest curiosities and bizarres of this big world! Register your email and do not miss this way to keep in touch!