Clay tablets discovered in northern Syria

A Dutch expedition team working at the Sabi Abbyad (White Boy) archaeological site in the province of al-Raqqa, in northern Syria in its tenth excavation season discovered a complete archive of 30 clay tablets.

In a report from its correspondent in al-Raqqa SANA said the "30 clay tablets" were found at the al-Hassin (the fortress) site. The tablets highlight the economic and administrative conditions prevailing in the western districts of the central Assurian Empire.

The unearthed clay tablets include lists of the names of persons and supply texts that indicate a complex state run economic and administrative system. It was revealed that the Assurian control was comprehensive and covered a vast sector of agricultural and trade importance.

The same Dutch expedition discovered in 1998 in the same palace an important archive on special correspondence in the house and office of "Petamiti F," who was a high-ranking civil servant and the right hand man for King "Ayau F" who was in charge of Ghab Assure district.

The greatest part of this archive had been kept for 3,200 years in a wooden box. All that remained of it was a clay stamp on which a sphinx bird was carved in relief.