💥 Tall el-Hammam, Jordan — once 10x larger than Bronze Age Jerusalem — was obliterated ~1650 BCE. A multi-scientist, multi-year study (Nature Scientific Reports, 2021) found melted pottery turned to green glass, shocked quartz & temperatures consistent with extreme heat. The researchers concluded: cosmic airburst. Archaeologist Steven Collins began excavations in 2006. A 5-foot layer of soot at the 1650 BCE level contained burned human bones, melted mudbrick, and pottery shards melted into green-glazed glass. **UPDATE: In November 2023, Nature Scientific Reports RETRACTED the study following peer review that found the evidence for an airburst was insufficient and other explanations for the destruction could not be ruled out.**
Tall el Hammam (Jordan) destruction layer shows evidence of cosmic airburst event around 1650 BCE
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📍 Tall el Hammam (Jordan)🌍 Show on the globe
Key facts
- Tall el Hammam (Jordan) was largest city in Jordan Valley during Bronze Age, 10 times larger than Jerusalem
- Archaeologist Steven Collins began excavations in 2006
- Found 5-foot deep layer of soot at 1650 BCE level containing burned human bones, melted mudbrick, and pottery shards melted into green-glazed glass
- Green glass analysis showed pottery melted by super intense heat lasting short period
- Site abandoned for 700 years after destruction event
- 21 scientists conducted 15-year research project, published results in Nature Scientific Reports in 2021
- Researchers concluded cause was cosmic airburst, not warfare, fire, or volcanic eruption
- Evidence included shocked quartz crystals indicating high pressure event
- Unusually high salt concentrations (4-25%) found in destruction layer, possibly from Dead Sea impact
- Researchers estimated air temperatures rapidly rose above 3,600°F, shock wave reached 740 mph
- Estimated 8,000 people in city, none survived
- Findings correlate with biblical account of Sodom and Gomorrah destruction
Sources
Evidence that a cosmic impact destroyed ancient city in the Jordan ...phys.org
A Tunguska sized airburst destroyed Tall el-Hammam a Middle Bronze Age city in the Jordan Valley near the Dead Sea.
A Tunguska sized airburst destroyed Tall el-Hammam a Middle ...zenodo.org
We present evidence that Tall el-Hammam, a fortified Middle Bronze Age city in the Jordan Valley was destroyed by an extraordinary ...
An Ancient Disaster - UCSB Marine Science Institutemsi.ucsb.edu
... 1650 BCE), the city of Tall el-Hammam was ascendant. At that time, it was 10 times larger than Jerusalem and 5 times larger than Jericho.
A Tunguska sized airburst destroyed Tall el-Hammam a Middle ...pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
We present evidence that in ~ 1650 BCE (~ 3600 years ago), a cosmic airburst destroyed Tall el-Hammam, a Middle-Bronze-Age city in the southern Jordan Valley ...
"Cosmic airburst" levelled ancient city in modern-day Jordanadvancedsciencenews.com
A Tunguska sized airburst destroyed Tall el-Hammam a Middle Bronze Age city in the Jordan Valley near the Dead Sea.
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