Tartous-SANA
Under the title Ugarit, the Living Alphabet, the Arab Cultural Center in Tartus hosted a lecture by Dr. Ghassan Al-Qayyim, in which he shed light on the history of this ancient city.
Dr. Al-Qayyim talked about the historical status and the heritage, human and cultural value of this city, which was discovered thanks to a Syrian farmer from the village of Ras Shamra.
Al-Qayyim touched on the most important discoveries that appeared during excavations within the city, including more than 7 thousand pottery figures, some of which are dedicated to chants and hymns indicating the rituals of that era, which called many scholars and historians to reconsider what was written about them, in addition to many royal palaces such as the southern and northern palaces. Residential houses, temples, industrial sites, and craft workshops, including those for shipbuilding and others.
The curator noted the period of commercial prosperity of Ugarit, with its port, which was considered the most important commercial port on the Mediterranean coast in the fourteenth century BC.
With regard to the Ugaritic language, which has become taught in more than 60 international universities, Al-Qayyim indicated that it is still a matter of debate about its origins, pointing out that historians differed in its origin, some of whom considered it a Canaanite or Aramaic language, and some of them went to say that it is closer to the Arabic language.
The values put forward hypotheses and anecdotal evidence that talked about the disastrous end of Ugarit, which varied between its exposure to an earthquake, attack, or burning, with a question that remained a mystery that baffled scientists, which is its remaining devoid of population for a thousand years, pointing out that according to the correspondence between its king and the King of Cyprus calling for taking certain measures and precautions, the hypothesis is likely Aggression against it led to its destruction.
Al-Qayyim explained, in a special statement to SANA, that the Kingdom of Ugarit is considered a bright Syrian civilized page that represents the knowledge message more than four thousand years ago. Thirty letters are written from left to right and taught to the children of the world, and it is considered the complete alphabet so far, adding that the name Ugarit is currently included for registration on the World Heritage List, and more discoveries await us that indicate and confirm that it is a city that possessed the elements of civilization.
Fatima Hussain
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