The Archives of Ebla. An Empire inscribed on clay

Pettinato was writing this book as the dust settles so to speak. It was published only a few years after the archive library was discovered at Tell Mardikh, Syria where he served as the mission's epigrapher. Pettinato claims he is not offering any conclusions about the find, only uncertainties. Reading through it though he does seems to be offering conclusions which are obvious according to the texts. This work largely defines the importance of this "bomb-shell" literary find for the study of the Ancient Near East. For example, it was not believed that Canaanites existed at this level of civilization that early in history. Their level of literacy was thought to be non-existent, yet we found the oldest encyclopedias, bilingual dictionaries, and even evidence that international gatherings of scribes converged on Ebla to advance their collective knowledge. Some of the largest finds are contributions in the form of bilingual dictionaries that greatly advance our knowledge of Sumerian as well as aid us in better understanding its pronounciation. When The Ancient City Of Ebla Was Unearthed, Archaeologists Discovered The Well-preserved Royal Library Containing More Than 15,000 Clay Tablets And Fragments. At Digs In Modern-day Syria, The Ebla Tablets Provide Unique Insight Into The Culture And And History Of Ancient Mesopotamia. Ebla: The Meaning Of A Discovery -- The Finding Of Ebla -- The Royal Archives -- The Writing And Language Of Ebla -- The Dynasty Of Ebla And Its Historical Documents -- Society -- The Economy -- Culture -- Religion. Giovanni Pettinato ; With An Afterword By Mitchell Dahood. Translation Of Ebla Un Impero Inciso Nell'argilla. Includes Indexes. Bibliography: P. [323]-325. Discusses the culture, society, government, and religion of the ancient empire of Ebla as described in cuneiform script on fifteen thousand clay tablets discovered during archaeological excavations at Ebla