Auditing the False Kingdoms of Ebla

This academic paper by Marco Bonechi investigates the identification of various ancient kingdoms and cities recorded within the Eblaite archives. The author meticulously evaluates a vast number of toponyms to determine which locations functioned as independent states, primarily by looking for specific administrative titles like EN or maliktum. By comparing diverse epigraphic sources, the text distinguishes between confirmed kingdoms, doubtful cases, and sites that were likely just villages or religious centres. A significant portion of the work is dedicated to the structural analysis of the texts, addressing the linguistic complexities of the Eblaite language. Ultimately, the study provides an updated list of regional powers and explores the case of the city of Huti’um in detail.