Kingship, Cosmos and Cult of the Ancestors in Ebla: Some New Perspectives

In his research about the features and functions related to kingship, Dario Sabbatucci identified as the most important among them the principle of “cosmicization” (turning something into “cosmic” as opposed to “chaotic”, i.e. neaten, give sense, meaning and value) – both in a chronological and in a spatial perspective. This is a pivotal cornerstone of symbolic systems in ancient times: in fact, it is the main device to build a collective identity in a community, creating a linear concept of time (and with it the notion of history too) and turning wilderness into inhabitable, cultural space. This theoretical model seems to fit even for the city of Ebla (Tell Mardikh) during the second half of 3rd millennium BC. In particular, this work focuses on some specific elements of Ebla’s religious thought and practic- es, such as the cult of the ancestors and the kingship renovation rituals. These rituals not only stress the connection between kingship and time and space perception, but also play a fundamental role in defining the sacred geography of 3rd millennium BC Syria and in building a new political landscape of the territory, though no longer as a set of isolated villages but as a kingdom.