Alashia (Cyprus) in the Akkadian Sources
Abstract
The name (KUR A-la-i-ia) has been mentioned in several cuneiform texts since the 18th century BC, and it has become known to be the ancient name for the island of Cyprus. What do we know about the islands history during ancient historical times? It is the question that the research seeks to answer. No useful written sources were discovered on the island itself. Therefore, cuneiform documents will be searched, according to an analytical method to derive Information from und to form a general picture of its internal conditions and external relations. We will briefly present a glimpse of the archaeological interest in the island of Cyprus, then study its news in the texts of Mari, Alalakh, Amarna and Ugarit, which date back to between the centuries 18-13 BC.