Ugarit — Ras Shamra Northern Palace
Ugarit — Ras Shamra Northern Palace Tell
Bronze Age (6000–1180 BCE palace 1400 BCE)·Canaanite-Hurrian·🇸🇾 Latakia Governorate, Mediterranean, Syria
About
About Ugarit — Ras Shamra Northern Palace
Ugarit — Ras Shamra Northern Palace in Latakia Governorate, Mediterranean, Syria is a Bronze Age (6000–1180 BCE palace 1400 BCE) ancient city attributed to Canaanite-Hurrian culture. German and Syrian excavations document stratified sequence with ceramic seriation and radiocarbon. The site includes a principal mound and ancillary settlement.
Why it mattersKey Canaanite-Hurrian site illustrating Bronze Age (6000–1180 BCE palace 1400 BCE) ancient-city traditions.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Urban planning of Ugarit — Ras Shamra Northern Palace
- 02Chronology of lower town
Theories
- 01Administrative centre for Canaanite-Hurrian
- 02Trade hub on Euphrates/Khabur
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c. 6000 BCE
- Period
- Bronze Age (6000–1180 BCE palace 1400 BCE)
- Culture
- Canaanite-Hurrian
- Purpose
- Alphabetic cuneiform palace 30 tablets, northern quarter
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
c. 6000 BCE
Initial settlement
c. 2000 BCE
Major expansion and fortification
On the ground
Structures & features
35.6022° N · 35.7822° E · 476 m · 3 mapped features
- Ugarit — Ras Shamra Northern Palace — Main MoundmoundMain tell mound Ugarit — Ras Shamra Northern Palace 15 m high with stratified phases35.6030° N · 35.7830° E
- Ugarit — Ras Shamra Northern Palace — Lower TownsettlementLower town settlement 10 ha with houses and kilns35.6013° N · 35.7817° E
- Ugarit — Ras Shamra Northern Palace — Gate AreagateFortified gate with mudbrick walls and bastions35.6033° N · 35.7815° E
Gallery