Ugarit

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Ugarit (now Ras Shamra / رأس شمرة / Ra ʾ s Samra ) was a since about 2400 BC cuneiform attested Canaanite city-state and during the Bronze Age, an important trade and an important cultural center in northwest Syria. 1928 was at the modern town of Ras Shamra near the coast, about 11 km north of Latakia, rediscovered by chance. 1930 French archaeologists began systematic excavations in which many historically significant artefacts were discovered.

To the Kingdom of the harbor Minet el- Beida two kilometers west of the capital Ugarit and Ras Ibn Hani, the second residence included five kilometers south-west.

  • 2.1 palace
  • 2.2 administration
  • 3.1 Alphabetical font
  • 3.2 textual evidence
  • 4.1 succession of rulers
  • 4.2 rulers who are not mentioned in the King List

History

The oldest traces of settlement dating to the 7th millennium BC, and date from the early Neolithic (New Stone Age ). During the second millennium BC, the settlement grew rapidly and gained importance. There were early trade, among others Crete and Egypt, in the written sources, the city is often mentioned.

Historical development

Manfred Bietak, who conducted the excavation of Avaris in the Delta of the Nile, among others, indicates that by about 1600 BC in northern Egypt -based Hyksos had close contacts with Ugarit.

The economic boom was towards the end of the Late Bronze Age between about 1450 BC and 1185 BC On the basis of the populated area, the average home size and ethnographic data calculated W. Randall Garr for the end of the 2nd millennium an average population of 7,635 within the city of Ugarit. Previous estimates, the number of urban residents 6,000 to 8,000, with a total population of 35,000 or 25,000 for the rural population. The numbers of Garr and others are unsafe because they must be in the old city boundaries accurately determine findings of smaller settlements do not exist and the population during that period was not constant.

Ships from Egypt, Greece and Asia Minor contributed to the city. She was an important transit point for goods from the anterior and middle East. There may have been district in which foreign merchants settled permanently; at least a quarter of Mycenaean is believed by many researchers. The richness of Ugarit witness the remains of several large palaces.

Despite his wealth Ugarit was militarily weak and therefore had to deal with the great powers of the time - the Egyptians and the Hittites - arrange. So married King Niqmaddu II an Egyptian princess to strengthen the relationship with the Egyptian Pharaohs. However, these had the time fewer and fewer power and influence in the Syrian world.

As BC conquered in the late 14th century, the Hittites under Suppiluliuma I. northern Syria, Ugarit had to pay an annual tribute. The Ugaritic princes recognized political and military authority of the Hittite ruler to, were able economically and culturally but maintain a fairly high degree of independence. At the end of Hethitschen empire they had to - just before the own destruction - support selbiges to support them militarily.

Destruction of Ugarit

Between 1194 and 1186 BC - according to a recent theory of Dietrich and Loretz on January 9, 1192 BC - made ​​the attacks of the Sea Peoples on Ugarit and the destruction of the city. Cuneiform tablets dating from the time shortly before the destruction, describe attacks on the Syrian areas of the lake. Hammurabi III. , The fledgling last ruler of Ugarit, your hands were tied because the Ugaritic fleet was used by the Hittite king off the southern coast of Asia Minor and Guard troops had been ordered Hammurapi the Hittite heartland. A Plea to the Hittite viceroy in Carchemish was cut off. Ugarit was thus the enemies delivered almost defenseless. The end came very quickly since the last correspondence of Ugarit were still in process. Some of them were found in the furnace, without first being sent. Ugarit was literally razed to the ground by the attackers. It was only in the 5th century BC it came back to a meager village settlement in the vicinity.

Government and administration

Palace

The certainly most important building in the city was the palace of the king. He lay in the west of the city, covering an area of ​​about 10,000 square meters, consisting of over 100 rooms. The basement was built in stone and is today partly still 4 m high. The walls on the upper floors were probably made ​​of clay. The palace was built in several phases. The original building was only 30 × 15 feet tall with a small patio. Later, a further wing was built onto the east side. Here's another court and a portico formed. Further additions followed in the East and especially in the south, which is every time these were space groups, grouped around a courtyard. The finds in the different parts of the building were extremely rich. In various parts of document archives came to light. In the east wing were found in a room fragments of furniture that passed a long time, their ivory cushions were still obtained.

The palace was admired in antiquity and Rib - Addi, king of Byblos, praises him in one of his letters to the Egyptian pharaoh Akhenaten.

Management

Rb designated the leader of a group of royal servants. So there was a rb mkrm, head of the merchants, rb nqdm, head of the victim shepherds, rab Sangu, head of the priest, and the heads of various villages as well as the head of Ugarit (rb qrt - probably a kind of mayor). Various military grade were denoted by rb ʿ lf ( Head of thousands) to head the ten.

Literacy

See main article: Ugaritic Ugaritic script and religion

Alphabetical font

From the 14th century BC, in addition to the Babylonian cuneiform texts was used for in Ugaritic language and an alphabetic cuneiform. This is the oldest known evidence of this alphabet. It was known in Europe until much later. His decipherment goes back to Hans Bauer, who first presented his findings at the Congress of Orientalists in Leiden in 1932.

Textual evidence

Of great importance are the archives of Ugarit cuneiform texts in the native Northwest Semitic language, which is called the " Ugaritic ", as well as in the Akkadian language, which served BC as a supra-regional transport and diplomatic language in the 2nd millennium. The bulk of the texts were of an economic nature, but intergovernmental treaties and state correspondences provide important information on the political conditions of the time. The panels also illuminate the religious beliefs of this people in legends and epics, myths, prayers, gods and lists of victims of ceremonial texts and regulations. Thus, there are interviews with the gods by liver - oracle. Several clay models of sheep livers were found, along with notes on how these are to be interpreted. Detailed sacrificial ceremonies are described for various gods. Very accurate funeral ceremonies are described in which the ancestors were summoned. Incantation texts, there is also against harmful forces of nature, illness, infertility, demons, the consequences of drunkenness and snake venoms. In addition, clay tablets were found, which probably represent the oldest musical score of the world. These insights into the Ugaritic religion are also important for the interpretation of the religion of Canaan and Israel.

King List

The recorded in cuneiform list of the kings of Ugarit begins with the last late King Niqmaddu III. and goes back to Yakaru. The Last King Hammurabi III. could make the list. Because there are gaps in the exact reigns are mostly uncertain; also missing 10 kings, which is why the numbering of the king names are not deemed to be secured.

Sequence of rulers

Rulers who are not mentioned in the King List

Gallery

Main hall with stone vessel

Grave

Palace Ruins

Aqueduct

Entrance to the Palace of Ugarit

Baal statue from Ugarit

Egyptian stele, found in Ugarit

Pot from Ugarit

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