Is there any extra-biblical evidence for the existence of Sodom and Gommorah?

Question

I don't know if these cities ever existed or not. Just curious.
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Some good answers so far. I just found a site apparently put out by some wacko who thinks that the cities were destroyed by ATOMIC WARFARE!!! Here's the link: http://www.halexandria.org/dward194.htm

Answer 1

it will always be a toss-up between those that wish to disprove the bible & those that do want to confirm it... so it really depends on who you ask...

but i know that in the last 40 years or so that there have been a constant interest in verifying the authencity of not only the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah but also of the other cities that were in the same plain as mentioned in the biblical texts (I dont know by heart the names of the other cities).

and as far as i can remember scientists have uncovered ancient tablets that do include these cities in a list of cities in that day (pre-Jesus times).

if you search hard enough, you can probably see some of the studies that have been done to search for these "missing" cities... and you would be surprised that modern scientists have been using more and more sophisticated methods, aside from the usual archeaological digs, ancient maps and satellite images.

but of course even with all the studies, I am not sure if there has been "undeniable" proof... evidences though have always been available and uncovered.... & as i have said it will depend on who you ask.

Answer 2

An Archaeological group THIS YEAR in the area of the Dead Sea had noted that the recent drought in the area had lowered the salt ridden Dead Sea to levels low enough to see buildings are deep inside it.

An Archaeologist two years ago began testing surrounding mountain soil and found that, around the Dead Sea area, the soil was heavily laden with salts, sulfur and vast amounts of charcoal from burned plant material.

Give them a bit and they should have their findings aired on the Discovery Channel with a better view of the possible revelation of the actual site of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Many of the updates are discussed on the Discovery Channel and A&E.

Peace.

Answer 3

Many scholars believe that the original sites of Sodom and the other “cities of the District” now lie submerged beneath the waters of the Dead Sea, though some others recently have claimed that the ruins of the cities may be identified with sites along wadis to the E and SE of the Dead Sea

Answer 4

Sodom and Gomorrah would have been relatively near the Dead Sea today. There is evidence of ancient civilizations existing in the area, but no real way to determine what the cities were. However, On a cliff overlooking the Dead Sea, there is a completely unexplainable pillar of solid salt, standing on the edge of a cliff. Now, if you read the story of Lot fleeing the cities, it states in the Bible that his wife turned to look at her old home, and was instantly turned into a pillar of salt... Personally, I believe both the cities were real places, ridden by sin, and that they were destroyed. Hope I helped!

Answer 5

They have found archaeological sites in the area and that time period but they cannot confirm if those towns were Sodom or Gomorrah.

Of one interesting note the Dead sea area contains pockets of sulfur with the surrounding limestone.

So if their was some large geological activity that could throw those rocks up in the air it very well could rain fire and brimstone.

Answer 6

Not much at all.

There are ruins near the Dead Sea that some archaeologists speculate may be one of these cities, but realistically, those ruins could be any ancient settlement.

As far as I know, there's no mention of these cities in ancient writings other than the Bible, and certainly no archaeological evidence that the Biblical story that mentions them ever happened.

HBJ

Answer 7

I watched an episode on Discovery.

I think they thought they discovered two cities located in roughly the same area.

The modern names are Bab edh-Dhra, thought to be Sodom, and Numeira, thought to be Gomorrah.

These cities apparently simultaneously burned down at the same time.

Answer 8

There are a couple of sites that could possibly be Sodom. the Tall El-Hammam dig is being scoured.

http://www.abu.nb.ca/ecm/topics/arch5.htm

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Oh yeah, and on the extra-biblical findings supporting Sodom are the clay tablets of Tell Mardikh.

http://www.mazzaroth.com/ChapterFour/Ebla.htm

Answer 9

The same story with the same names is very long on the Sumarian tablets. It also pre-dates anything witten in the bible. Maybe they existed, but the story was stolen from the Sumarians.

Answer 10

Nope, but maybe they are based in a story of somewhere, where a volcanic eruption occurred. Those ignorant shepherds weren't very creative, and they resorted to plagiarism of myths of other religions, especially Babylonian and Egyptian.