Archeology can be a helpful tool in establishing actual history,when interpreted correctly and used in it's true context. The late Ron Wyatt has done more damage to the defense of the Bible than anyone.He claimed to have found Noah's ark,the actual place where the Israelites crossed the Red Sea and the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.To the over zealous Bible scholar his discoveries were the evidences they had all been waiting for.They left little doubt that at least those Biblical tales related to his discoveries were actual events.The problem with Ron Wyatt is that he has claimed to find something that archaeologists couldn't in nearly a hundred years of searching.That includes His claim to have found Noah's Ark and the exact crossing of the Israelites at the time of the Exodus has since been labeled a hoaxer by most,if not all,archaeologists.The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah can be proven to be an actual event,although there may never be any evidence linking Abraham or Lot.As with all things archaeological,the best defenders can hope for is to establish a possibility.In the case of Sodom and Gomorrah,we can establish a very likely possibility.In all fairness,the importance is not in whether or not the actual cities have been found,but that the destruction actually took place.The fact that The Bible tells us that the destruction was complete and the smoke went up like a furnace,indicates that there was an eye witness,which could possibly have been Abraham.There is no reason to believe it could not have been Abraham.
   According to Gen17:21,Abraham was promised a child within a year.The birth of Isaac would have been near the year 1890 BCE,according to Scripture.It was the same year that Sodom and Gomorrah was destroyed:
Gen.20:24
"Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah
brimestone and fire from the Lord out of Heaven.3Gen.20:25"And he overthrew those cities
and all the plain,and all the inhabitants of the cities,
and that which grew upon the ground".
Everything in the plain of Siddim was completely destroyed including “That which grew upon the ground”.The destruction was so complete,there was nothing left,possibly not even the plain.There is archaeological evidence that the part of the plain nearest the dead sea may have been swallowed up by the dead Sea.
   There is evidence of a catastrophe of major proportions,including ruins of cities.The area around the Dead Sea,and especially toward the southern end is and always has been a dangerous place.It is part of the Great Rift valley,that runs from the Beqaa Valley in Lebanon to central Mozambique in East Africa.From the Dead Sea southwards, the rift is occupied by the Wadi Arabah and then the Gulf of Aqaba and the Red Sea.The rift can be seen clearly in satellite photos.The southern end of the Red Sea marks a fork in the rift, and forms the Sinai peninsula.The fissure that runs through the Jordan valley contains high concentrations of gas.Even today the evaporation pools at the southern end of the Dead Sea smells like rotten eggs and contain lumps of asphalt(bitamun).Dr.Phillip Hammond explains that the Dead Sea Valley is much like it was 4,000 years ago.
"The area is full of sulphur,salt,asphalt and bitumen coming out of the surface of the water.I've seen people standing on blocks of asphalt in the Dead Sea.There are vapors all over the place.It is an accident waiting to happen".
There is underground heat,as can be seen in the hot springs on both sides of the Dead Sea.Oil regularly seeps to the surface creating oils slicks on the water.Big chunks of tar asphalt occasionally come floating to the surface.These were collected and sold,and one of the things the Amorites were after when they subjected the cities of the plain.Some archaeologists believe that an earthquake opened the fissure releasing gas,which was ignited by campfires.The heavy concentration of gas caused a tremendous explosion that threw super heated salt,water and asphalt high into the air.At the same time,anything that didn't disintegrate may have fallen into the fissure.Water rushed into the fissure, creating an extension to the lake,making it ten miles longer. There are other theories about what actually happened,but it is evident looking at a map of the Dead Sea that it has been enlarged.There is a peninsula jutting out into sea from the western edge,near the southern tip that appears out of place with the rest of the landscape.It is believed that was this was the southern most shore of the sea prior to the destruction.
   Archeologist's have discovered a pilgrimage site on what was then called Mt.Usdum,which showed continuous use until around 1900 BCE,when the pilgrimages suddenly stopped.It is an 11-mile range of pure salt.On top of it stands the block of salt known as Lot’s wife – a weathered formation that, without too much imagination, resembles a woman – turning back to see God’s fury unleashed against the sinful cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.The discovery not only shows that there were populated cities around the southern tip of the dead Sea,prior to the time of Abraham,but that the population was drastically and suddenly reduced.One of the destroyed towns,Bab edh Dhra,discovered by archaeologists was estimated to have had a population of 500,000.The site of Bab-edh-Dhra was discovered by Melvn Kyle in 1924 on the Lisan Peninsula in the southern Half of the Dead Sea. It has been excavated by others,including Wm.Albright. All the evidence points to a Canaanitish city dating from the time of Abraham which was burned and left uninhabited for several hundred years.The Ebla tablets mention the names of the five cities,including Sodom and Gomorrah,naming one of their kings as "Birsha". According to the Archaeologist,Kitchen, "A tremendous explosion took place, which carried burning sulphur, oil, and asphalt into the air above the cities. Mingled with salt, this brimstone and fire rained down upon the whole plain" (Boyd 51,86). Dense smoke suggests smoke from a petroleum-based fire. (cf. Wilson p.67, Kitchen p.47, Pfeiffer p.543, Library of Congress,Wood, Sanders II)Josephus in his "WARS OF THE JEWS", book IV, chapter VIII: "
Now this country is then so sadly burnt up, that nobody cares to come at it;... It was of old a most happy land, both for the fruits it bore and the riches of its cities, although it be now all burnt up. It is related how for the impiety of its inhabitants, it was burnt by lightning; in consequence of which THERE ARE STILL THE REMAINDERS OF THAT DIVINE FIRE; AND THE TRACES [OR SHADOWS] OF THE FIVE CITIES ARE STILL TO BE SEEN"
   Professor Randall Yonker,director of the Horn Archaeological Museum in Ammon,Jordan reported that at least three of the cities have been excavated.All three were terminated before the end of the Early Bronze age.At least one destroyed city was covered with ashes,suggesting it was destroyed by fire.At one city discovered in the plain of Sadam,it was discovered that a burial house had been destroyed by fire.After closer examination,it was apparent the fire had started on the roof, which collapsed and set fire to the interior of the burial.Conquerers would not have bothered with burning burial houses,which contained little,if any,treasury.Noone attempts to conquer a gravesite.The only conclusion was that fire had rained down onto the buildings.Another interesting find was that of mounds and columns of salt scattered along the shore of the Dead Sea.If these pillars could be created by natural means,it is conceivable that Lot's wife,lagging behind, could have been completely covered with salt making Her appear as a pillar of salt.The Bible does not tell us how far behind the rest of the family she was, but she was apparently the only one who succumbed to the fallout.Anyone standing on a high enough spot,such as Abraham,could have seen the burning sky,from miles away.They also could have seen the lingering smoke rising.The date given for the destruction is 1900 BCE,withing ten years of the date of the birth of Isaac,according to Bible chronology.That is in harmony with the historical date given for the birth of Abraham,and an Exodus during the 15th century BCE,as well as the period that Joseph was taken to Egypt.

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