Achshaph
Encyclopedia
Achshaph - "fascination", a royal city of the Canaanites, in the north of Canaan
(Josh. 11:1; 12:20; 19:25). It was in the eastern boundary of the tribe of Asher
, and is identified with the modern ruined village of Kesaf or Yasif, northeast of Acre
.
has Endaruta
as the 'mayor' of Akšapa (Achshaph). In this time period, the Habiru
-rebels are attacking city-state
s, and Abdi-Heba
of Jerusalem, Surata of Acco
, Šuwardata
of Qiltu (?), and Endaruta are aiding each other.
Only one extremely short letter–EA 223 (EA-el Amarna) is written from Endaruta of Akšapa, and it is a one sentence topic: [following a short 3-sentence formal-formulaic introduction
] ... "Whatever the king (i.e. pharaoh
), my lord
, orders, I shall prepare."
But one perfectly preserved letter from Pharaoh, to Endaruta of Akšapa is known, EA 367. Its topic is to guard (and defend) Akšapa and to prepare for "troop arrivals"-(the archer
-forces).
The third and only other reference in the Amarna letters corpus
is from letter EA 366 (from Šuwardata of Qiltu (?)), and the letter states:
Canaan
Canaan is a historical region roughly corresponding to modern-day Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, and the western parts of Jordan...
(Josh. 11:1; 12:20; 19:25). It was in the eastern boundary of the tribe of Asher
Tribe of Asher
According to the Hebrew Bible, the Tribe of Asher! was one of the Tribes of Israel.Following the completion of the conquest of Canaan by the Israelite tribes after about 1200 BCE, Joshua allocated the land among the twelve tribes...
, and is identified with the modern ruined village of Kesaf or Yasif, northeast of Acre
Acre, Israel
Acre , is a city in the Western Galilee region of northern Israel at the northern extremity of Haifa Bay. Acre is one of the oldest continuously inhabited sites in the country....
.
1350 BC Akšapa--Amarna letters
The 1350 BC Amarna lettersAmarna letters
The Amarna letters are an archive of correspondence on clay tablets, mostly diplomatic, between the Egyptian administration and its representatives in Canaan and Amurru during the New Kingdom...
has Endaruta
Endaruta
Endaruta was the ruler of Achshaph-, in the 1350-1335 BC Amarna letters correspondence. Endaruta was the author of EA 223, , of the letters. He is only referenced in two other letters EA 366 and 367, but EA 367, entitled: "From the Pharaoh to a vassal" is addressed to Endaruta, with instructions...
as the 'mayor' of Akšapa (Achshaph). In this time period, the Habiru
Habiru
Habiru or Apiru or ˁpr.w was the name given by various Sumerian, Egyptian, Akkadian, Hittite, Mitanni, and Ugaritic sources to a group of people living as nomadic invaders in areas of the Fertile Crescent from Northeastern Mesopotamia and Iran to the borders of Egypt in Canaan...
-rebels are attacking city-state
City-state
A city-state is an independent or autonomous entity whose territory consists of a city which is not administered as a part of another local government.-Historical city-states:...
s, and Abdi-Heba
Abdi-Heba
Abdi-Heba was a local chieftain of Jerusalem during the Amarna period . Abdi-Heba's name can be translated as "servant of Hebat", a Hurrian goddess. Some scholars believe the correct reading is Ebed-Nob...
of Jerusalem, Surata of Acco
Acre, Israel
Acre , is a city in the Western Galilee region of northern Israel at the northern extremity of Haifa Bay. Acre is one of the oldest continuously inhabited sites in the country....
, Šuwardata
Šuwardata
Šuwardata, also Šuardatu, was the 'mayor' of Qiltu, during the 1350-1335 BC Amarna letters correspondence...
of Qiltu (?), and Endaruta are aiding each other.
Only one extremely short letter–EA 223 (EA-el Amarna) is written from Endaruta of Akšapa, and it is a one sentence topic: [following a short 3-sentence formal-formulaic introduction
Prostration formula
In the 1350 BC correspondence of 382–letters, called the Amarna letters, the Prostration formula is usually the opening subservient remarks to the addressee, the Egyptian pharaoh. The formula is based on Prostration, namely reverence and submissiveness...
] ... "Whatever the king (i.e. pharaoh
Pharaoh
Pharaoh is a title used in many modern discussions of the ancient Egyptian rulers of all periods. The title originates in the term "pr-aa" which means "great house" and describes the royal palace...
), my lord
Belu
Belu is a UK based company selling environmentally friendly bottled water.Belu is a bottled water company committed to sustainable development...
, orders, I shall prepare."
But one perfectly preserved letter from Pharaoh, to Endaruta of Akšapa is known, EA 367. Its topic is to guard (and defend) Akšapa and to prepare for "troop arrivals"-(the archer
Archers (Egyptian pítati)
The Pítati were a contingent of archers in the Egyptian Empire, often requested and dispatched, to support the Egyptian vassalage in Canaan, or northern Canaan...
-forces).
The third and only other reference in the Amarna letters corpus
Text corpus
In linguistics, a corpus or text corpus is a large and structured set of texts...
is from letter EA 366 (from Šuwardata of Qiltu (?)), and the letter states:
- "...only 'Abdi-HebaAbdi-HebaAbdi-Heba was a local chieftain of Jerusalem during the Amarna period . Abdi-Heba's name can be translated as "servant of Hebat", a Hurrian goddess. Some scholars believe the correct reading is Ebed-Nob...
and I have been at war with that 'ApiruHabiruHabiru or Apiru or ˁpr.w was the name given by various Sumerian, Egyptian, Akkadian, Hittite, Mitanni, and Ugaritic sources to a group of people living as nomadic invaders in areas of the Fertile Crescent from Northeastern Mesopotamia and Iran to the borders of Egypt in Canaan...
. Surata, the ruler of AkkaAcre, IsraelAcre , is a city in the Western Galilee region of northern Israel at the northern extremity of Haifa Bay. Acre is one of the oldest continuously inhabited sites in the country....
, and Endaruta, the ruler of Akšapa, these two also came to my aid, ..."