Ugarit

Ugarit (/juːˈɡɑːrɪt, uː-/;^[1] Ugaritic: 𐎜𐎂𐎗𐎚, ʼUgart; Arabic: أُوغَارِيت Ūġārīt or أُوجَارِيت Ūǧārīt) was an ancient port city in northern Syria. It is in the outskirts of modern Latakia. It was discovered by accident in 1928 together with the Ugaritic texts.^[2] Its ruins are often called Ras Shamra^[3] due to the headland on which they are found.

Ugarit

Entrance to the Royal Palace of Ugarit
Shown within Near East Show map of Near East Ugarit (Syria) Show map of Syria
Alternate name	Ras Shamra (Arabic: رأس شمرة)
Location	Latakia Governorate, Syria
Region	Fertile Crescent
Coordinates	35.602°N 35.782°E / 35.602; 35.782
Type	settlement
History
Founded	c. 6000 BCE
Abandoned	c. 1190 BCE
Periods	Neolithic–Late Bronze Age
Cultures	Canaanite
Events	Bronze Age collapse
Site notes
Excavation dates	1928–present
Archaeologists	Claude F. A. Schaeffer
Condition	ruins
Ownership	Public
Public access	Yes

Ugarit had close connections to the Hittite Empire. It also sent tribute to Egypt at times and maintained trade and diplomatic connections with Cyprus (then called Alashiya).^[4][5] This is documented in the archives recovered from the site. It is confirmed by Mycenaean and Cypriot pottery found there. The polity was at its height from c. 1450 BCE until its destruction in c. 1200 BCE. This destruction was possibly caused by the mysterious Sea Peoples or internal struggle. The kingdom would be one of the many that fell apart during the Bronze Age Collapse.