Tall el-Hammam Excavation Project

The Tall el-Hammam Excavation Project (TeHEP) is a joint scientific endeavor of the College of Archaeology & Biblical History, Trinity Southwest University (Albuquerque, NM) and the School of Archaeology, Veritas International University (Santa Ana, CA), under the auspices of the Department of Antiquities of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Now in its 14th year, TeHEP, directed by Dr Steven Collins and supervised by a staff of American, Canadian, and Jordanian archaeologists, is one of the most important, biblically-significant excavations presently in operation.

The huge ruin mound of Tall el-Hammam is located 8.5 miles NE of the Dead Sea, a 30-minute drive from west Amman, Jordan. Over the 13 excavation seasons completed thus far, a wealth of geographical and archaeological evidence strongly supports the identification of Tall el-Hammam as the site of the infamous biblical city of Sodom. In Genesis 19, the Bible records that “burning stone and fire rained out of the heavens from Yahweh,” destroying the Cities of the Kikkar—Sodom being chief among them. Even this violent, cosmic destruction is supported by the physical evidence uncovered at Tall el-Hammam. The heat of the cataclysmic event that destroyed the city even melted some pottery surfaces and mudbricks. A separate team of researchers from a dozen universities and scientific institutions is analyzing this particular event horizon.

Through the first 13 excavation seasons, members of the TeHEP team have unearthed portions of massive fortifications and gateways, a temple complex, domestic residences, and a monumental palace. It is now known that Tall el-Hammam/Sodom was the largest continuously-occupied Bronze Age city in the southern Levant—that is, before it met a violent end. The Middle Bronze Age (time of Abraham) destruction layer is over a meter thick, and filled with the charred remains of thousands of pottery vessels and the accoutrements of daily life.

In late January through early March 2019, TeHEP is holding its 14th dig season. Each year, volunteers come to this amazing archaeological site, paying their own expenses to help excavate it. But although Tall el-Hammam/Sodom has been the subject of numerous documentaries, books, and articles, and has had more international media coverage than any other excavation in the past decade, the TeHEP team has been running on a “shoestring” budget of about $100,000 per season, which just covers field expenses, with little left for important sample analyses, data processing, and professional publications (which cost more than the excavation process itself!).

We’re hoping to double our annual TeHEP budget to $200,000, allowing the excavation team to accomplish more each season, and more between seasons. It is a high priority for Dr Collins and the entire TeHEP team to continue this work not only because of its importance to our understanding of the archaeology of the region, but also because it continues to demonstrate the historical authenticity and accuracy of the Bible. Your donation will advance this important avenue of archaeological discovery!

1st Goal:

We are looking for 1000 people to donate only $50 to our excavations at Biblical Sodom. If 1000 people give only $50, which is basically the cost of a family going out to dinner ONE time, we can raise $50,000!!!!

Please consider donating just $50 and be a part of a project that will show the world that the Bible is TRUE!!