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Ebla was an ancient city located in northern Syria , about 55 km southwest of Aleppo . It was an important city-state in two periods, first in the late Third Millennium BC , then again between 1800 and 1650 BC . The site is known today as Tell Mardikh, and is famous mainly for archives with more than 20,000 Cuneiform Tablet s, dated from around 2250 BC , in Sumerian and in Eblaite — a previously unknown Semitic language similar to Akkadian . DISCOVERY AND EXCAVATION In 1964 , Italian archaeologists from the University Of Rome La Sapienza directed by Paolo Matthiae began excavating at Tell Mardikh. In 1968 they recovered a statue dedicated to the goddess Ishtar bearing the name of Ibbit-Lim , a king of Ebla. That identified the city, long known from Egypt ian and Akkad ian inscriptions. In the next decade the team discovered a palace dating approximately from 2500 – 2000 BC . About 20,000 well-preserved Cuneiform tablets were discovered in the ruins. The tablets are written in a Semitic dialect that is being called ' Eblaite ', as well as in Sumerian , demonstrating Ebla's close links to southern Mesopotamia, where the script had developed. Vocabulary lists were found with the tablets, allowing them to be translated. It now appears that this was not the palace library, which may yet be uncovered, but an archive of provisions and tribute, law cases and diplomatic and trade contacts, and a scriptorium where apprentices copied texts. The larger tablets had originally been stored on shelves, but had fallen onto the floor when the palace was destroyed. The location where tablets were discovered where they had fallen allowed the excavators to reconstruct their original position on the shelves: it soon appeared that they were originally shelved according to subject. EBLA IN THE THIRD MILLENNIUM BC The name "Ebla" means "White Rock", and refers to the limestone outcrop on which the city was built. Although the site shows signs of continuous occupation since before 3000 BC , its power grew and reached its apogee in the second half of the Following Millennium . Ebla's first apogee was between 2400 and 2240 BC ; its name is mentioned in texts from Akkad around 2300 BC . Most of the Ebla palace tablets, which date from that period, are about economic matters; they provide a good look into the everyday life of the inhabitants, as well as many important insights into the cultural, economic, and political life of northern Syria and Near East around the middle of the third millennium B.C. The texts are accounts of the state revenues, but they also include royal letters, Sumerian-Eblaite dictionaries, school texts and diplomatic documents, like treaties between Ebla and other towns of the region. Economy At that time, Ebla was a major commercial center. Its major commercial rival was – 2150 BC ). Government The form of government is not well known, but the city appears to have been ruled by a merchant aristocracy who elected a king and entrusted the city's defense to paid soldiers. Through the tablets we have learned the names of several "kings" among whom Igrish-Halam , Irkab-Damu , Ar-Ennum , Ibrium and Ibbi-Sipish . Ibrium broke with tradition and introduced an absolute monarchy, he was followed by his son Ibbi-Sipish. Religion Some well-known Semitic deities appear at Ebla ( Dagan , Ishtar , Resheph , Kanish , Hadad ), and some otherwise unknown ones ( Kura , Nidakul ), plus a few Sumerian gods ( Enki and Ninki ) and Hurrian gods ( Ashtapi , Hapat , Ishara ). The destruction of Ebla Sargon Of Akkad and his grandson Naram-sin , the conquerors of much of Mesopotamia, each claim to have destroyed Ebla; the exact date of destruction is the subject of continuing debate, but 2240 BC is a probable candidate. During the next three centuries, Ebla reached again a relevant economic position, possibly with the nearby city of Urshu , as is documented by economic texts from Drehem (a suburb of Nippur ), and from findings in Kultepe /Kanesh. EBLA IN THE SECOND MILLENNIUM BC Several centuries after its destruction by the Akkadians, Ebla managed to recover some of its importance, and had a second apogee lasting from about 1850 to 1600 BC . Its people were then known as Amorite s; Ibbit-Lim was the first king. Ebla is mentioned in texts from Alalakh around 1750 BC . The city was destroyed again in the turbulent period of 1650 – 1600 BC , by an Hittite king ( Mursili I or Hattusili I ). Ebla never recovered from its second destruction. The city continued as a small village until the 7th Century AD, then was deserted and forgotten until its archaeological rediscovery. SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINKS
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