The Chancery Texts of Ebla Palace G: An Overview

The text describes various volumes from the Eblaite Royal Archives: Texts series, which publish documents belonging to the category of "chancery texts." These include letters, royal ordinances, treaties, diplomatic agreements, rituals, and non-accounting administrative records, dating back to the 24th century BCE from the archives of Palace G at Ebla (Tell Mardikh, Syria). ARET XI (1993): Publishes ritual texts related to the marriages and renewal of kingship of the last two kings of Ebla, Ìr-kab-da-mu and Iš₁₁-ar-da-mu. These texts describe in great detail the wedding rituals and the veneration of royal ancestors. ARET XIII (2003): Includes 21 texts concerning Ebla's relations with other kingdoms and tribes, including letters, treaties, and sworn agreements. The most famous treaty deals with the control of trade routes along the Euphrates, as well as the treaty between Ebla and Abarsal (whose identity remains uncertain but does not correspond to Assur). ARET XVI (2010): Presents 30 texts, including letters from the king and the minister I-bí-zi-kir, which establish the Eblaite epistolary style. It also includes agreements with Mari and documents concerning the allocation of land assets. ARET XVIII (2020): Includes letters from the final years of King Iš₁₁-ar-da-mu’s reign, featuring correspondence between the king, the minister, and his sons, addressing political, legal, and administrative matters. One particular text (Text 21) discusses legal procedures related to properties and the journeys of itinerant judges. Other texts, not part of the main volumes, include a cultic calendar, rituals, pharmaceutical prescriptions, and legal documents. These texts offer valuable insight into the administrative, religious, and legal practices at Ebla during the final years of the kingdom. Overall, this work highlights the complexity and variety of bureaucratic, legal, and religious functions in Ebla, significantly contributing to our understanding of the civilization of the time.