This document provides a comprehensive overview of Ugarit, an ancient city-state on the Syrian coast that was a crucial Late Bronze Age power. It covers the city's rediscovery and archaeological insights, detailing its urban layout, domestic life, and material culture, including its sophisticated metallurgy and extensive trade networks. The text then traces Ugarit's political history, highlighting its strategic position as a vassal state to both Egyptian and, more prominently, Hittite empires, navigating a complex diplomatic landscape through economic pragmatism. Furthermore, it explores Ugarit's unique cultural contributions, such as its innovative alphabetic cuneiform script and its rich Canaanite mythology, which offers significant parallels to the Hebrew Bible. Finally, the document examines the dramatic destruction of Ugarit as a key case study in the broader Late Bronze Age Collapse, emphasizing the interplay of internal vulnerabilities and external pressures like famine and the "Sea Peoples."
This page was created on: August 13, 2025