Bab edh-Dhra

Bab edh-DhraꜤ is an archaeological site located in Jordan, notable for its over 20,000 burials and large influential settlement traditionally associated with the Biblical town of Sodom. While the site does have evidence of occupation dating back as early as the Paleolithic, Neolithic and Chalcolithic Periods, the Early Bronze Age remains are most informative for Near Eastern History because they exemplify shifts in ancient burial customs, the initial drive toward urbanism and the inherent early struggles associated with transitioning to a sedentary lifestyle. Bab edh-DhraꜤ, located in Transjordan along the southeastern section of the Dead Sea about 240 m below sea level, is bound by the Wadi Kerak, which served as a fresh water source as well as a defensible cliff protecting the town's inhabitants. Surveys of the region beginning in the 1920s identified Bab edh-DhraꜤ as a noteworthy site which led to excavations commencing in the 1960s led by Paul W. Lapp, and subsequent expeditions continued through the 1970s and 1980s. Excavations of the Early Bronze Age revealed that early on burials dominated the landscape, and later on the site was the location of a large fortified town. The Early Bronze Age IA tombs at Bab edh-DhraꜤ provide key insights into ancient burial practices and beliefs about the dead. Over 60 Early Bronze Age IA shaft tombs have been investigated, most comprising of multiple chambers often circular in shape and each covered by a domed or flat roof. Each chamber held piles of disarticulated bones from multiple individuals with skulls lining the side of the tomb. The chambers also included several ceramic vessels with slash or incised design, and some additional grave goods such as stone bowls, clay figurines, mace heads, and jewelry. Round mudbrick burial houses containing remains of multiple individuals were introduced later on during the EB IB, and a small settlement also arose at the site during this time. Following a brief period of possible destruction and abandonment, the EB II Period site saw a population increase and the town exhibited features such as large public buildings, a silo and an enclosure wall. The EB II population continued the burial practices of the EB I and constructed more funerary buildings that housed primary and secondary burials as well as pottery and other artifacts. While the burial practices are most noted in the earlier parts of the Early Bronze Age, the focal point later becomes the urban development characteristic of the Early Bronze Age III in the region. The population at the site continued to increase and the site was fortified with a 7m-wide mudbrick wall with a stone foundation that encompassed nine acres of occupation that could have housed around 1,000 people. Within the walls there were domestic quarters, monumental buildings and a "sanctuary" in the southern part of the town that contained a courtyard with a stone altar and tools most likely used for butchering animals. Evidence for occupation was also found outside the city walls and remnants of barley, wheat, and sheep and goat bones were uncovered in excavations. During this time period, the dead were placed in rectangular mudbrick burial buildings, called Charnel Houses, and accompanied by pottery, figurines, and other objects. The end of the early Bronze Age saw an abandonment and deterioration of the large EB III town. Occupation shifted to the countryside surrounding the former town and a ceremonial area containing an altar and animal horns sat within the ruins. The abandonment of the city and preference for rural occupation is a trend seen throughout the region at the end of the Early Bronze Age. While we do not know the ancient name of the site, the ruins have traditionally been linked to the biblical site of Sodom and the story of its demise found in Genesis 19 based on its location and evidence of conflagration. However, this theory has been contested mainly because of the questionable historicity of the story and the occupation dates to an earlier time than the bible story would have taken place. Some have argued that the biblical story could have been formulated to explain the ancient ruins of the city visible along the Dead Sea. Preservation of the site and proper documentation of the finds, especially from the tombs, is hindered by the extensive looting that has taken place at Bab edh-DhraꜤ for over a century. Many of the site's artifacts have entered the illegal antiquities market. The local government and archaeologists are working to document the artifacts, enact measures to protect the site and recover the stolen objects of this important Early Bronze Age site. Artifacts from the burials can also be found in museums throughout the world, thus providing access for many people interested in understanding ancient burial practices. The ancient site of Bab edh-DhraꜤ continues to provide key insights into our understanding of ancient burial practices and shifts toward early urbanism as archaeologists work to study, protect, and preserve the culturally valuable material from the site.