Things to see and do Ougarit

Around the acropolis, in tight islets, extended several quarters of dwellings and workshops. Lapidary and Goldsmiths worked for the fortune and reputation of Ugarit.

Designed on a plane relatively similar to that of the Royal Palace, the residences of the rich Ougaritains offered the particularity of hosting both the living and their deceased ancestors. An opening to the ground of a small piece of each house allowed to win the burial chamber by a stair of stairs. The most beautiful example of this joint arrangement at most of the major residences is located in the house of Rapanou, which is a town of the city, whose neighbour, a Dénommé, was responsible for the Ugarit market. The houses have delivered various, often very luxurious, objects of local, foreign, or even imitation bills such as Egyptian beetles and ivories.

In the northeast of the tell, dominating the city, the acropolis presented to its visitors two main temples, one dedicated to Baal, the other to Dagon. These massive buildings were visible from the port. Today, from these anonymous ruins, you can see the nearby sea and the view to the Hotel Méridien. Ships'anchors were raised to the sanctuary of Baal, the god of the storm. Offerings were devoted to him, sometimes so that his anger did not trigger storms that were harmful to navigation, sometimes to plead the rain necessary for cultures.

As indicated in the Dagon temple stelas, shared between the Louvre and the Aleppo Museum, animals were sacrificed to this god in honour of the dead. In the house, known as the Magician-Magician, south of the acropolis, many livers of clay animals were found. Prêtres priests, called aruspices, examined the entrailles of the victims and animals to draw predictions.

The site's guarded entrance allows access to the threshold of the Royal Palace of Ugarit, composed of a multitude of two- or three-tier chutes, and combined over its two hundred years of existence. Panels indicate the function of each of them. The Royal Palace was so richly decorated and furnished that its fame had come to the ears of pharaoh Amenhotep III. The official entry was decorated with two columns whose base of the drums is still visible. On the left, a library housed a large collection of shelves. In contrast, a large dallée courtyard (the main palace) had a well at the south-west corner and a water system.

In the east of this court, many exhibits were located in the administrative centre of the city (offices, archives) and funeral facilities. Finally, a large garden agrémentait everything.

In the north and south of the Royal Palace, several buildings have been discovered, without the need to determine the precise use of them: the northern palace, at the central courtyard with bitumen coated with bitumen (left, in the main street), certainly abandoned well before the destruction of Ugarit; the large building that faces it and whose exceptional burial cellar was established some years ago; finally, the small palace (in the south), which also houses a cave.

From the numerous fortifications known to Ugarit, the western section is best preserved, with its square tower which protected the palace and its backdoor (poterne) which allowed access. The glacis is particularly tilted: These remains were probably more used during the final Fire of Ugarit. It then came directly to the palace by a ramp that is no longer visible.