Eblaite (also known as Eblan [ISO 639-3]) is an extinct, perhaps East Semitic language, which was spoken in the 3rd millennium BCE in the ancient city of Ebla, in modern Syria. It is considered to be the oldest written Semitic language.
The language, closely related to Akkadian, is known from about 17,000 tablets written with cuneiform script which were found between 1974 and 1976 in the ruins of the city of Ebla (Tell Mardikh). The tablets were first translated by Giovanni Pettinato.
References
A. Archi. 1987. "Ebla and Eblaite," Eblaitica 1. Ed. C.H. Gordon. Winona Lake, Indiana: Eisenbrauns. Pages 7-17.
Cyrus H. Gordon. 1990. "Eblaite and Northwest Semitic," Eblaitica 2. Ed. C.H. Gordon. Winona Lake, Indiana: Eisenbrauns. Pages 127-139.
Cyrus H. Gordon. 1997. "Amorite and Eblaite," The Semitic Languages. Ed. Robert Hetzron. New York: Routledge. Pages 100-113.
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