This document examines the Early Bronze Age kingdom of Ebla, located in modern Syria, emphasizing its significant economic and political influence as revealed by the Royal Palace G archives. It specifically investigates the relationship between Ebla and the Afrin Valley, a strategically important but archaeologically under-documented region to its northwest. The paper argues for an indirect connection, positing that Ebla's control was mediated through its documented hegemony over the Amuq Plain and its primary center, Alalakh. While textual evidence for the Afrin Valley is sparse, the analysis suggests its economic integration into the Eblaite sphere as a secondary periphery, with its resources likely channeled through major vassal states like Alalakh, contributing to its "textual invisibility" in central Eblaite records. The research highlights that Ebla’s power was hegemonic rather than directly imperial, leaving a subtle archaeological footprint through its reliance on indirect rule and economic extraction via regional client states.
This page was created on: July 22, 2025