Ugarit reasearch [sic] research center and geust [sic] guest houses

Abstract

This thesis aims to explain the reasons for creating a project focused on establishing an archaeological restoration and showroom center, as well as, an archeologists’ guest houses dedicated to studying the forsaken Canaanite kingdom of Ugarit, located in Ras Shamra, Lattakia, northern Syria. Ugarit, brought to light in the 20th century by a Syrian peasant, subsequently prompted French archaeologists to commence excavations in 1929, leading to the discovery of the remnants of the ancient city, which had been devastated by a significant earthquake. Despite these efforts, it is widely acknowledged that the excavations conducted thus far have been incomplete, with approximately two-thirds of the ruins remaining buried, awaiting further exploration.Furthermore, the antiquities unearthed within the vicinity of Ugarit are currently dispersed across museums such as the Louvre Museum and the Aleppo National Museum, lacking a dedicated museum at the esteemed site itself. In light of this, the thesis advocates for the relocation of these artifacts closer to their original context, advocating for the inclusion of a showroom to facilitate access for both tourists and researchers. Moreover, the archaeological site of Ugarit holds profound cultural and commercial significance, as it is credited with the development of the first alphabet based on sounds, as well as the earliest recorded musical notation in cuneiform script.Additionally, Ugarit boasted the distinction of harboring the first known port in history, Minet Al Bayda, which facilitated trade routes linking the city to Ancient Egypt, Cyprus, and Asia Minor. Having said that, the primary objective of this thesis is to rescue the neglected history of Ugarit and to revitalize its cultural legacy, envisaging a resurgence akin to the return of Baal, the preeminent deity of the ancient city, and the subsequent rejuvenation of cultural “spring” to the long sleeping fields.