MARI,
SYRIA
![](640px-MariZiggurat.jpg)
Ruins
of Mari
![](mari.jpg)
Mari
shown in Red dots in Syria
Mari,
Syria
Alternative
name :
Tell Hariri
Location
:
Abu Kamal, Deir ez-Zor Governorate, Syria
Coordinates
: 34°32'58
N 40°53'24 E
Type
:
Settlement
Area
:
60 hectares (150 acres)
History
:
Founded
:
c. 2900 BC
Abandoned
:
3rd century BC
Periods
: Bronze
Age
Cultures
:
East-Semitic (Kish civilization), Amorite
Site
notes
:
Archaeologists
:
André Parrot
Condition
: Ruined
Ownership
:
Public
Public
access
:
Yes
Mari
(Cuneiform: ma-riki, modern Tell Hariri) was an ancient Semitic
city-state in modern-day Syria. Its remains constitute a tell located
11 kilometers north-west of Abu Kamal on the Euphrates river western
bank, some 120 kilometers southeast of Deir ez-Zor. It flourished
as a trade center and hegemonic state between 2900 BC and 1759 BC.
As a purposely-built city, the existence of Mari was related to
its position in the middle of the Euphrates trade routes; this position
made it an intermediary between Sumer in the south and the Eblaite
kingdom and the Levant in the west.
Mari
was first abandoned in the middle of the 26th century BC but was
rebuilt and became the capital of a hegemonic East Semitic state
before 2500 BC. This second Mari engaged in a long war with its
rival Ebla and is known for its strong affinity with Sumerian culture.
It was destroyed in the 23rd century BC by the Akkadians, who allowed
the city to be rebuilt and appointed a military governor bearing
the title of Shakkanakku ("military governor"). The
governors later became independent with the rapid disintegration
of the Akkadian Empire and rebuilt the city as a regional center
in the middle Euphrates valley. The Shakkanakkus ruled Mari until
the second half of the 19th century BC, when the dynasty collapsed
for unknown reasons. A short time after the Shakkanakku collapse,
Mari became the capital of the Amorite Lim dynasty. The Amorite
Mari was short-lived as it was annexed by Babylonia in c. 1761 BC,
but the city survived as a small settlement under the rule of the
Babylonians and the Assyrians before being abandoned and forgotten
during the Hellenistic period.
The
Mariotes worshiped both Semitic and Sumerian deities and established
their city as a center of old trade. However, although the pre-Amorite
periods were characterized by heavy Sumerian cultural influence,
Mari was not a city of Sumerian immigrants but rather a Semitic-speaking
nation that used a dialect similar to Eblaite. The Amorites were
West Semites who began to settle the area before the 21st century
BC; by the Lim dynasty's era (c. 1830 BC), they became the dominant
population in the Fertile Crescent.
Mari's
discovery in 1933 provided an important insight into the geopolitical
map of ancient Mesopotamia and Syria, due to the discovery of more
than 25,000 tablets that contained important information about the
administration of state during the 2nd millennium BC and the nature
of diplomatic relations between the political entities in the region.
They also revealed the wide trading networks of the 18th century
BC, which connected areas as far as Afghanistan in Southern Asia
and Crete in the Mediterranean region.
Name
:
![](274px-Mari-ki_in_cuneiform_on_the_statue_of_Iddi-Ilum.jpg)
"Country
of Mari" (Cuneiform: Mari-ki), on the statue of Iddi-Ilum,
c. 2090 BCE
Written in Cuneiform ma-riki, the name of the city can be traced
to Mer, an ancient storm deity of northern Mesopotamia and Syria,
who was considered the patron deity of the city, Georges Dossin
noted that the name of the city was spelled identically to that
of the storm god and concluded that Mari was named after him.
History
:
The first kingdom :
Mari is not considered a small settlement that later grew, but rather
a new city that was purposely founded during the Mesopotamian Early
Dynastic period I c. 2900 BC, to control the waterways of the Euphrates
trade routes that connect the Levant with the Sumerian south. The
city was built about 1 to 2 kilometers away from the Euphrates river
to protect it from floods, and was connected to the river by an
artificial canal that was between 7 and 10 kilometers long, depending
on which meander it used for transport, which is hard to identify
today.
![](641px-Mari_landmarks.png)
Mari's
landmarks
The city is difficult to excavate as it is buried deep under later
layers of habitation. A defensive system against floods composed
of a circular embankment was unearthed, in addition to a circular
6.7 m thick internal rampart to protect the city from enemies. An
area 300 meters in length filled with gardens and craftsmen quarters
separated the outer embankment from the inner rampart, which had
a height of 8 to 10 meters and was strengthened by defensive towers.
Other findings include one of the city gates, a street beginning
at the center and ending at the gate, and residential houses. Mari
had a central mound, but no temple or palace has been unearthed
there. A large building was however excavated (with dimensions of
32 meters X 25 meters) and seems to have had an administrative function.
It had stone foundations and rooms up to 12 meters long and 6 meters
wide. The city was abandoned at the end of the Early Dynastic period
II c. 2550 BC for unknown reasons.
The
second kingdom :
![](640px-Second_Mariote_kingdom.png)
The
second kingdom during the reign of Iblul-ll
Second
Mariote Kingdom Mari : c. 2500 BC – c. 2290 BC
Capital
: Mari
Common
languages
:
Mariote dialect
Religion
:
Mesopotamian
Government
:
Monarchy
Historical
era
: Bronze
Age
•
Established
:
c. 2500 BC
•
Disestablished
:
c. 2290 BC
Succeeded
by
: Akkadian
Empire
Around
the beginning of Early Dynastic period III (earlier than 2500 BC)
Mari was rebuilt and populated again. The new city kept many of
the first city's exterior features, including the internal rampart
and gate. Also kept was the outer circular embankment measuring
1.9 km in diameter, which was topped by a wall two meters thick
capable of protecting archers.
![](398px-Ebish-Il_Louvre_AO17551.jpg)
Statue
of Ebih-Il, a superintendent in Mari. (25th century BC)
However, the internal urban structure was completely changed and
the new city was carefully planned. First to be built were the streets
that descended from the elevated center into the gates, ensuring
the drainage of rain water.
At
the heart of the city, a royal palace was built that also served
as a temple. Four successive architectural levels from the second
kingdom's palace have been unearthed (the oldest is designated P3,
while the latest is P0). The last two levels are dated to the Akkadian
period. The first two levels were excavated; the findings include
a temple named the Enceinte Sacrée, which was the largest
in the city but it is unknown for whom it was dedicated. Also unearthed
were a pillared throne room and a hall with three double wood pillars
leading to the temple.
Six
more temples were discovered in the city, including the temple called
the Massif Rouge (to whom it was dedicated is unknown), and temples
dedicated to Ninni-Zaza, Ishtarat, Ishtar, Ninhursag and Shamash.
All the temples were located in the center of the city except for
the Ishtar temple; the area between the Enceinte Sacrée and
the Massif Rouge is considered to have been the administrative center
of the high priest.
The
second kingdom appears to have been a powerful and prosperous political
center, its kings held the title of Lugal, and many are attested
in the city, the most important source being the letter of king
Enna-Dagan c. 2350 BC, which was sent to Irkab-Damu of Ebla. In
it, the Mariote king mentions his predecessors and their military
achievements. However, the reading of this letter is still problematic
and many interpretations have been presented by scholars.
Mari-Ebla
war :
![](327px-Warrior_with_axe,_Mari,_January_1935.jpg)
Helmetted
warrior with axe, Mari
![](341px-Ishqi-Mari_(dark_background).jpg)
Ishqi-Mari,
king of the Second Kingdom of Mari, circa 2300 BC
The earliest attested king in the letter of Enna-Dagan is Ansud,
who is mentioned as attacking Ebla, the traditional rival of Mari
with whom it had a long war, and conquering many of Ebla's cities,
including the land of Belan. The next king mentioned in the letter
is Sa'umu, who conquered the lands of Ra'ak and Nirum. King Kun-Damu
of Ebla defeated Mari in the middle of the 25th century BC. The
war continued with Išhtup-Išar of Mari's conquest of Emar
at a time of Eblaite weakness in the mid-24th century BC. King Igrish-Halam
of Ebla had to pay tribute to Iblul-Il of Mari, who is mentioned
in the letter, conquering many of Ebla's cities and campaigning
in the Burman region.
Enna-Dagan
also received tribute; his reign fell entirely within the reign
of Irkab-Damu of Ebla, who managed to defeat Mari and end the tribute.
Mari defeated Ebla's ally Nagar in year seven of the Eblaite vizier
Ibrium's term, causing the blockage of trade routes between Ebla
and southern Mesopotamia via upper Mesopotamia. The war reached
a climax when the Eblaite vizier Ibbi-Sipish made an alliance with
Nagar and Kish to defeat Mari in a battle near Terqa. Ebla itself
suffered its first destruction a few years after Terqa in c. 2300
BC, during the reign of the Mariote king Hidar. According to Alfonso
Archi, Hidar was succeeded by Ishqi-Mari whose royal seal was discovered.
It depicts battle scenes, causing Archi to suggest that he was responsible
for the destruction of Ebla while still a general.
Destruction
of Mari by Sargon of Akkad :
Just a decade after Ebla's destruction (c. 2300 BC middle chronology),
Mari itself was destroyed and burned by Sargon of Akkad, as shown
by one of his years names ("Year in which Mari was destroyed").
Michael Astour proposed the date as c. 2265 BC (short chronology).
Ishqi-Mari was probably the last king of Mari before the conquests
by the Akkadian Empire. Sargon of Akkad collected tribute from Mari
and Elam :
"Sargon
the King bowed down to Dagan in Tuttul. He (Dagan) gave to him (Sargon)
the Upper Land: Mari, Iarmuti, and Ebla, as far as the Cedar Forest
and the Silver Mountains".
-
Nippur inscription of Sargon.
The third kingdom :
![](Third_Mari.jpg)
The
third kingdom during the reign of Zimri-Lim c. 1764 BC
Third
Mariote Kingdom Mari : c. 2266 BC – c. 1761 BC
Capital
:
Mari
Common
languages
:
Akkadian, Amorite
Religion
: Ancient Levantine Religion
Government
:
Monarchy
Historical
era
:
Bronze Age
•
Established
:
c. 2266 BC
•
Disestablished
: c.
1761 BC
Preceded
by
:
Akkadian Empire
Succeeded
by
:
First Babylonian dynasty
Mari
was deserted for two generations before being restored by the Akkadian
king Manishtushu. A governor was appointed to govern the city who
held the title Shakkanakku (military governor). Akkad kept direct
control over the city, which is evident by Naram-Sin of Akkad's
appointment of two of his daughters to priestly offices in the city.
The
Shakkanakku dynasty :
![](342px-Statue_of_Puzur-Ishtar.jpg)
Puzur-Ishtar,
Shakkanakku (Military Governor) of Mari, circa 2050 BC
The first member of the Shakkanakku dynasty on the lists is Ididish,
who was appointed in c. 2266 BC. According to the lists, Ididish
ruled for 60 years and was succeeded by his son, making the position
hereditary.
The
third Mari followed the second city in terms of general structure,
phase P0 of the old royal palace was replaced by a new palace for
the Shakkanakku. Another smaller palace was built in the eastern
part of the city, and contained royal burials that date to the former
periods. The ramparts were rebuilt and strengthened while the embankment
was turned into a defensive wall that reached 10 meters in width.
The former sacred inclosure was maintained, so was the temple of
Ninhursag. However, the temples of Ninni-Zaza and Ishtarat disappeared,
while a new temple called the "temple of lions" (dedicated
to Dagan), was built by the Shakkanakku Ishtup-Ilum and attached
to it, was a rectangular terrace that measured 40 x 20 meters for
sacrifices.
Akkad
disintegrated during Shar-Kali-Sharri's reign, and Mari gained its
independence, but the use of the Shakkanakku title continued during
the following Third Dynasty of Ur period. A princess of Mari married
the son of king Ur-Nammu of Ur, and Mari was nominally under Ur
hegemony. However, the vassalage did not impede the independence
of Mari, and some Shakkanakkus used the royal title Lugal in their
votive inscriptions, while using the title of Shakkanakku in their
correspondence with the Ur's court. The dynasty ended for unknown
reasons not long before the establishment of the next dynasty, which
took place in the second half of the 19th century BC.
The
Lim dynasty :
The second millennium BC in the Fertile Crescent was characterized
by the expansion of the Amorites, which culminated with them dominating
and ruling most of the region, including Mari which in c. 1830 BC,
became the seat of the Amorite Lim dynasty under king Yaggid-Lim.
However, the epigraphical and archaeological evidences showed a
high degree of continuity between the Shakkanakku and the Amorite
eras.
Yaggid-Lim
was the ruler of Suprum before establishing himself in Mari, he
entered an alliance with Ila-kabkabu of Ekallatum, but the relations
between the two monarchs changed to an open war. The conflict ended
with Ila-kabkabu capturing Yaggid-Lim's heir Yahdun-Lim and according
to a tablet found in Mari, Yaggid-Lim who survived Ila-kabkabu was
killed by his servants. However, in c. 1820 BC Yahdun-Lim was firmly
in control as king of Mari.
![](330px-Goddess_of_the_vase,_Mari,18th_century_BCE.jpg)
Goddess
of the vase, Mari, 18th century BCE
Yahdun-Lim started his reign by subduing seven of his rebelling
tribal leaders, and rebuilding the walls of Mari and Terqa in addition
to building a new fort which he named Dur-Yahdun-Lim. He then expanded
west and claimed to have reached the Mediterranean, however he later
had to face a rebellion by the Banu-Yamina nomads who were centered
at Tuttul, and the rebels were supported by Yamhad's king Sumu-Epuh,
whose interests were threatened by the recently established alliance
between Yahdun-Lim and Eshnunna. Yahdun-Lim defeated the Yamina
but an open war with Yamhad was avoided, as the Mariote king became
occupied by his rivalry with Shamshi-Adad I of Assyria, the son
of the late Ila-kabkabu. The war ended in a defeat for Mari, and
Yahdun-Lim was assassinated in c. 1798 BC by his possible son Sumu-Yamam,
who himself got assassinated two years after ascending the throne
while Shamshi-Adad advanced and annexed Mari.
The
Assyrian era and the Lim restoration :
Shamshi-Adad appointed his son Yasmah-Adad on the throne of Mari,
the new king married Yahdun-Lim's daughter, while the rest of the
Lim family took refuge in Yamhad, and the annexation was officially
justified by what Shamshi-Adad considered sinful acts on the side
of the Lim family. To strengthen his position against his new enemy
Yamhad, Shamshi-Adad married Yasmah-Adad to Betlum, the daughter
of Ishi-Addu of Qatna. However, Yasmah-Adad neglected his bride
causing a crisis with Qatna, and he proved to be an unable leader
causing the rage of his father who died in c. 1776 BC, while the
armies of Yarim-Lim I of Yamhad were advancing in support of Zimri-Lim,
the heir of the Lim dynasty.
![](640px-Investiture_of_Zimri-Lim_Louvre_AO19826_n01.jpg)
Investiture
of Zimri-Lim. (18th century BC)
As Zimri-Lim advanced, a leader of the Banu-Simaal (Zimri-Lim's
tribe) overthrew Yasmah-Adad, opening the road for Zimri-Lim who
arrived a few months after Yasmah-Adad's escape, and married princess
Shibtu the daughter of Yarim-Lim I a short time after his enthronement
in c. 1776 BC. Zimri-Lim's ascension to the throne with the help
of Yarim-Lim I affected Mari's status, Zimri-Lim referred to Yarim-Lim
as his father, and the Yamhadite king was able to order Mari as
the mediator between Yamhad's main deity Hadad and Zimri-Lim, who
declared himself a servant of Hadad.
Zimri-Lim
started his reign with a campaign against the Banu-Yamina, he also
established alliances with Eshnunna and Hammurabi of Babylon, and
sent his armies to aid the Babylonians. The new king directed his
expansion policy toward the north in the Upper Khabur region, which
was named Idamaraz, where he subjugated the local petty kingdoms
in the region such as Urkesh, and Talhayum, forcing them into vassalage.
The expansion was met by the resistance of Qarni-Lim, the king of
Andarig, whom Zimri-Lim defeated, securing the Mariote control over
the region in c. 1771 BC, and the kingdom prospered as a trading
center and entered a period of relative peace. Zimri-Lim's greatest
heritage was the renovation of the Royal Palace, which was expanded
greatly to contain 275 rooms, exquisite artifacts such as The Goddess
of the Vase statue, and a royal archive that contained thousands
of tablets.
The
relations with Babylon worsened with a dispute over the city of
Hit that consumed much time in negotiations, during which a war
against Elam involved both kingdoms in c. 1765 BC. Finally, the
kingdom was invaded by Hammurabi who defeated Zimri-Lim in battle
in c. 1761 BC and ended the Lim dynasty, while Terqa became the
capital of a rump state named the Kingdom of Hana.
Later
periods :
![](Shamsh-res-usur,_governor_of_Mari_and_Suhi.jpg)
Shamash-Risha-Usur
(c. 760 BC)
Mari survived the destruction and rebelled against Babylon in c.
1759 BC, causing Hammurabi to destroy the whole city. However, Mari
was allowed to survive as a small village under Babylonian administration,
an act that Hammurabi considered merciful. Later, Mari became part
of Assyria and was listed among the territories conquered by the
Assyrian king Tukulti-Ninurta I (reigned 1243–1207 BC). Afterward,
Mari constantly changed hands between Assyria and Babylon.
In
the middle of the eleventh century BC, Mari became part of Hana
whose king Tukulti-Mer took the title king of Mari and rebelled
against Assyria, causing the Assyrian king Ashur-bel-kala to attack
the city. Mari came firmly under the authority of the Neo-Assyrian
Empire, and was assigned in the first half of the 8th century BC
to a certain Nergal-Erish to govern under the authority of king
Adad-Nirari III (reigned 810–783 BC). In c. 760 BC, Shamash-Risha-Usur,
an autonomous governor ruling parts of the upper middle Euphrates
under the nominal authority of Ashur-dan III, styled himself the
governor of the lands of Suhu and Mari, so did his son Ninurta-Kudurri-Usur.
However, by that time, Mari was known to be located in the so-called
Land of Laqe, making it unlikely that the Usur family actually controlled
it, and suggesting that the title was employed out of historical
reasons. The city continued as a small settlement until the Hellenistic
period before disappearing from records.
People,
language and government :
![](508px-Bust_orant_Louvre_AO17557.jpg)
A Mariote from the second kingdom. (25th century BC)
The founders of the first city may have been Sumerians or more probably
East Semitic speaking people from Terqa in the north. I. J. Gelb
relates Mari's foundation with the Kish civilization, which was
a cultural entity of East Semitic speaking populations, that stretched
from the center of Mesopotamia to Ebla in the western Levant.
At
its height, the second city was the home of about 40,000 people.
This population was East-Semitic speaking one, and used a dialect
much similar to the language of Ebla (the Eblaite language), while
the Shakkanakku period had an East-Semitic Akkadian speaking population.
West Semitic names started to be attested in Mari since the second
kingdom era, and by the middle Bronze-Age, the west Semitic Amorite
tribes became the majority of the pastoral groups in the middle
Euphrates and Khabur valleys. Amorite names started to be observed
in the city toward the end of the Shakkanakku period, even among
the ruling dynasty members.
![](640px-Statues_from_Mari._Syria_-_Aleppo_-_National_Museum.jpg)
Statues
from Mari in the National Museum of Aleppo
During the Lim era, the population became predominantly Amorite
but also included Akkadian named people, and although the Amorite
language became the dominant tongue, Akkadian remained the language
of writing. The pastoral Amorites in Mari were called the Haneans,
a term that indicate nomads in general, those Haneans were split
into the Banu-Yamina (sons of the right) and Banu-Simaal (sons of
the left), with the ruling house belonging to the Banu-Simaal branch.
The kingdom was also a home to tribes of Suteans who lived in the
district of Terqa.
Mari
was an absolute monarchy, with the king controlling every aspect
of the administration, helped by the scribes who played the role
of administrators. During the Lim era, Mari was divided into four
provinces in addition to the capital, the provincial seats were
located at Terqa, Saggaratum, Qattunan and Tuttul. Each province
had its own bureaucracy, the government supplied the villagers with
ploughs and agricultural equipments, in return for a share in the
harvest.
Culture
and religion :
![](509px-Woman_polos_Louvre_AO17564.jpg)
A
Mariote woman. (25th century BC)
The first and second kingdoms were heavily influenced by the Sumerian
south. The society was led by an urban oligarchy, and the citizens
were well known for elaborate hair styles and dress. The calendar
was based on a solar year divided into twelve months, and was the
same calendar used in Ebla "the old Eblaite calendar".
Scribes wrote in Sumerian language and the art was indistinguishable
from Sumerian art, so was the architectural style.
Mesopotamian
influence continued to affect Mari's culture during the Amorite
period, which is evident in the Babylonian scribal style used in
the city. However, it was less influential than the former periods
and a distinct Syrian style prevailed, which is noticeable in the
seals of kings, which reflect a clear Syrian origin. The society
was a tribal one, it consisted mostly of farmers and nomads (Haneans),
and in contrast to Mesopotamia, the temple had a minor role in everyday
life as the power was mostly invested in the palace. Women enjoyed
a relative equality to men, queen Shibtu ruled in her husband's
name while he was away, and had an extensive administrative role
and authority over her husband's highest officials.
The
Pantheon (all the gods of a people or religion collectively) included
both Sumerian and Semitic deities, and throughout most of its history,
Dagan was Mari's head of the Pantheon, while Mer was the patron
deity. Other deities included the Semitic deities; Ishtar the goddess
of fertility, Athtar, and Shamash, the Sun god who was regarded
among the city most important deities, and believed to be all-knowing
and all-seeing. Sumerian deities included Ninhursag, Dumuzi,
Enki, Anu, and Enlil. Prophecy had an important role for the society,
temples included prophets, who gave council to the king and participated
in the religious festivals.
Economy
:
The first Mari provided the oldest wheels workshop to be discovered
in Syria, and was a center of bronze metallurgy. The city also
contained districts devoted to smelting, dyeing and pottery manufacturing,
charcoal was brought by river boats from the upper Khabur and Euphrates
area.
The
second kingdom's economy was based on both agriculture and trade.
The economy was centralized and directed through a communal organization,
where grains were stored in communal granaries, and distributed
amongst the population according to social status. The organization
also controlled the animal herds in the kingdom. Some people were
directly connected to the palace instead of the communal organization,
those included the metal and textile producers and the military
officials. Ebla was an important trading partner and rival, Mari's
position made it an important trading center as it controlled the
road linking between the Levant and Mesopotamia.
The
Amorite Mari maintained the older aspects of the economy, which
was still largely based on irrigated agriculture along the Euphrates
valley. The city kept its trading role and was a center for
merchants from Babylonia and other kingdoms, it received goods from
the south and east through riverboats and distributed them north,
north west and west. The main merchandises handled by Mari were
metals and tin imported from the Iranian Plateau and then exported
west as far as Crete. Other goods included copper from Cyprus, silver
from Anatolia, woods from Lebanon, gold from Egypt, olive oil, wine,
and textiles in addition to precious stones from modern Afghanistan.
Excavations
and archive :
![](435px-Ishtup-Ilum_excavation_in_Mari,_Syria.jpg)
Excavations
by the archaeological team of André Parrot in 1936. Discovery
of the statue of military Governor Ishtup-Ilum
Mari was discovered in 1933, on the eastern flank of Syria, near
the Iraqi border. A Bedouin tribe was digging through a mound called
Tell Hariri for a gravestone that would be used for a recently deceased
tribesman, when they came across a headless statue. After the news
reached the French authorities currently in control of Syria, the
report was investigated, and digging on the site was started on
December 14, 1933 by archaeologists from the Louvre in Paris. The
location of the fragment was excavated, revealing the temple of
Ishtar, which led to the commencing of the full scale excavations.
Mari was classified by the archaeologists as the "most westerly
outpost of Sumerian culture".
Since
the beginning of excavations, over 25,000 clay tablets in Akkadian
language written in cuneiform were discovered. Finds from the excavation
are on display in the Louvre, the National Museum of Aleppo, the
National Museum of Damascus, and the Deir ez-Zor Museum. In the
latter, the southern façade of the Court of the Palms room
from Zimri-Lim's palace has been reconstructed, including the wall
paintings.
Mari
has been excavated in annual campaigns in 1933–1939, 1951–1956,
and since 1960. André Parrot conducted the first 21 seasons
up to 1974, and was followed by Jean-Claude Margueron (1979–2004),
and Pascal Butterlin (starting in 2005). A journal devoted to the
site since 1982, is Mari: Annales de recherches interdisciplinaires.
Archaeologists have tried to determine how many layers the site
descends, according to French archaeologist André Parrot,
"each time a vertical probe was commenced in order to trace
the site's history down to virgin soil, such important discoveries
were made that horizontal digging had to be resumed."
Mari
tablets :
Over 25,000 tablets were found in the burnt library of Zimri-Lim
written in Akkadian from a period of 50 years between circa 1800
– 1750 BC. They give information about the kingdom, its customs,
and the names of people who lived during that time. More than 3000
are letters, the remainder includes administrative, economic, and
judicial texts. Almost all the tablets found were dated to the last
50 years of Mari's independence, and most have now been published.
The language of the texts is official Akkadian, but proper names
and hints in syntax show that the common language of Mari's inhabitants
was Northwest Semitic.
Current
situation :
Excavations stopped as a result of the Syrian Civil War that began
in 2011 and continues to the present (2021). The site came under
the control of armed gangs and suffered large scale looting. A 2014
official report revealed that robbers were focusing on the royal
palace, the public baths, the temple of Ishtar and the temple of
Dagan.
Source
:
https://en.wikipedia.org/
wiki/Mari,_Syria