Royal Palace of Ugarit, Archaeological site in Latakia, Syria
The Royal Palace of Ugarit is an excavated palace complex in Ugarit, Syria, made up of dozens of interconnected rooms arranged around open courtyards on multiple levels. The stone walls are still standing in many areas, giving a clear sense of how large and organized this ancient building once was.
Archaeologists began digging here in the late 1920s and found palace structures going back to the 15th century BC. The city of Ugarit was destroyed around the end of the 13th century BC, likely during a period of widespread upheaval, and the palace was never rebuilt after that.
The palace archives reveal daily trade relationships and diplomatic contacts through thousands of inscribed tablets that show how this place was central to ancient commerce. These records demonstrate the importance of this site in connecting different civilizations.
The ground across the site is uneven, with sandy patches and loose stones, so sturdy footwear is a good idea. There is very little shade, which makes an early morning or late afternoon visit more comfortable, especially in summer.
Beneath the northern part of the palace are underground burial chambers with stone-built vaulted roofs, placed directly under the living areas above. Burying the dead beneath the house was a common practice in this region during that period, making the palace both a home and a burial ground at the same time.
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