Tell El-Hammam: A Mysterious Ancient City in Jordan

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Tell El-Hammam, located in the Jordan Valley, is a significant archaeological site believed to date back over 4,000 years. Excavations have uncovered evidence of a thriving Bronze Age city, including massive defensive walls, a palace complex, and an advanced water system. The site was once a powerful urban centre, strategically positioned along ancient trade routes.

One of the most intriguing aspects of Tell El-Hammam is its sudden and catastrophic destruction, with researchers discovering a distinct burn layer containing melted pottery and charred remains. Some scholars suggest this could be evidence of a cosmic airburst or meteor explosion, drawing comparisons to the biblical story of Sodom. Whether or not it is the lost city of Sodom, Tell El-Hammam remains an important site for understanding the Bronze Age civilisations of the Levant.

In this album

21 photos of Tell El-Hammam

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Remains of a stone wall and a standing pier in the excavations at Tell El-Hammam, Jordan Valley, Jordan
01A standing pier among the walls
Heap of fieldstones from a collapsed wall at Tell El-Hammam in the Jordan Valley, Jordan
02Collapsed wall stones
Excavated walls across the mound of Tell El-Hammam under a dramatic sky, Jordan Valley, Jordan
03Excavations across the mound
Excavation trench with stone walls and Jordan Valley farmland beyond at Tell El-Hammam, Jordan
04Trench above the valley farmland
Excavated stone foundations on the mound of Tell El-Hammam with hills behind, Jordan Valley, Jordan
05Foundations on the mound
Excavated walls and rooms at Tell El-Hammam overlooking green fields, Jordan Valley, Jordan
06Rooms overlooking the fields
Rows of excavated stone walls with the mound rising behind at Tell El-Hammam, Jordan
07Rows of excavated walls
Stone blocks and grass in an excavated area at Tell El-Hammam, Jordan Valley, Jordan
08Stone blocks in the excavation
Rubble stone wall rising from the excavations at Tell El-Hammam, Jordan Valley, Jordan
09A rubble stone wall
Excavation trench with exposed walls and earth sections at Tell El-Hammam, Jordan
10An excavation trench
Deep excavation trench cut into the mound of Tell El-Hammam, Jordan Valley, Jordan
11A deep trench in the mound
Stone wall built on earthen layers inside the excavations at Tell El-Hammam, Jordan
12A wall on earthen layers
Deep excavation pit in the mound of Tell El-Hammam under a cloudy sky, Jordan Valley, Jordan
13A deep excavation pit
Stone wall in an excavation trench with grass growing at its foot, Tell El-Hammam, Jordan
14Wall in the trench
Round stone-lined pit exposed in the excavations at Tell El-Hammam, Jordan Valley, Jordan
15A stone-lined pit
Narrow excavation trench between earth walls at Tell El-Hammam, Jordan Valley, Jordan
16A narrow trench
Excavation wall showing layered deposits with stones embedded at Tell El-Hammam, Jordan
17Layered deposits in the trench wall
Layers of earth and stone exposed in an excavation section at Tell El-Hammam, Jordan
18Layers in the excavation section
Close view of the dark burn layer in an excavation wall at Tell El-Hammam, Jordan Valley, Jordan
19The burn layer up close
Excavation section showing the dark burn layer and embedded stones at Tell El-Hammam, Jordan
20The burn layer in the excavation section
Wide view across the excavated areas of Tell El-Hammam toward the mound, Jordan Valley, Jordan
21Across the excavations

About this album

Site

Tell El-Hammam

Region

Amman, Madaba & Dead Sea

Period

Coordinates

31.8402° N, 35.6737° E

Photos

21 photos

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