Upu
Encyclopedia
Upu, also called Apu was the region surrounding Damascus
of the 1350 BC Amarna letters
. Damascus was named Dimašqu/Dimasqu/ etc. (for example, "Dimaški"-(see: Niya (kingdom)
), in the letter correspondence
.
The region is only referenced in three letters, EA 53, 189, and 197 (EA is for 'el Amarna
'). Etakkama
of Qidšu (Kadesh
) in the Beqaa
(named the Amqu
) is in partial control, between allegiance to Pharaoh, and conjoining forces with the king of Hatti.
An example of the intrigue is from the last third of EA 53, (entitled: "Of the villain Aitukama"):
The intrigue of the three Amarna letters appears to involve areas to the north and northwest of Damascus, into Lebanon and the Beqaa (named Amqu
).
And, for example Tašša
, appears to be "Tahash," Tahaš, named after the biblical 'Tahash' personage; see: Patriarchs (Bible)
.
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
of the 1350 BC Amarna letters
Amarna 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...
. Damascus was named Dimašqu/Dimasqu/ etc. (for example, "Dimaški"-(see: Niya (kingdom)
Niya (kingdom)
Niya, Niye, and also Niy of Thutmose I's Ancient Egypt, also Nii of the Amarna letters, and Nihe, etc. was a kingdom in Syria, or northern Syria....
), in the letter correspondence
Text corpus
In linguistics, a corpus or text corpus is a large and structured set of texts...
.
The region is only referenced in three letters, EA 53, 189, and 197 (EA is for 'el Amarna
Amarna
Amarna is an extensive Egyptian archaeological site that represents the remains of the capital city newly–established and built by the Pharaoh Akhenaten of the late Eighteenth Dynasty , and abandoned shortly afterwards...
'). Etakkama
Etakkama
Etakkama, as a common name, but also, Aitukama, Atakama, Etakama, and Itakama is the name for the 'mayor' of Qidšu, of the 1350-1335 BC Amarna letters correspondence....
of Qidšu (Kadesh
Kadesh
This article is about Kadesh in the lands of the Amurru, bordering on Damascus Syria up to Hammath; see also Kadesh or Kedesh Kadesh was an ancient city of the Levant, located on or near the headwaters or ford of the Orontes River...
) in the Beqaa
Beqaa Valley
The Beqaa Valley is a fertile valley in east Lebanon. For the Romans, the Beqaa Valley was a major agricultural source, and today it remains Lebanon’s most important farming region...
(named the Amqu
Amqu
The Amqu is a region , equivalent to the Beqaa Valley region, named in the 1350-1335 BC Amarna letters corpus....
) is in partial control, between allegiance to Pharaoh, and conjoining forces with the king of Hatti.
An example of the intrigue is from the last third of EA 53, (entitled: "Of the villain Aitukama"):
- "....
- "My lord, if he (i.e. pharaoh) makes this land a matter of concern to my lord, then may my lord send archersArchers (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...
that they may come here. (Only) messengers of my lord have arrived here. - My lord, if ArsawuyaArsawuyaArsawuya was a 'mayor' of Ruhizzi, located east of Qidšu-, and farther east beyond the Anti-Lebanon mountain range, during the 1350-1335 BC Amarna letters correspondence...
of RuhizziRuhizziRuhizzi, was a city, or city-state located in northern Canaan or southern Amurru territories, in the foothills of Mount Hermon during the time of the Amarna letters correspondence...
and Teuwatti of Lapana remain in Upu, and TaššaTassaTassa is a form of kettle drum, presumably of Persian derivation. Tassa drums are widespread all over India. Typically, one or more tassa drums are played together with a heavy bass drum called dhol, perhaps along with brass cymbals or a metal shaker...
(Tahash) remains in the Am[qAmquThe Amqu is a region , equivalent to the Beqaa Valley region, named in the 1350-1335 BC Amarna letters corpus....
], my lord should also know about them that Upu will not belong to my lord. Daily they write to Aitukama (EtakkamaEtakkamaEtakkama, as a common name, but also, Aitukama, Atakama, Etakama, and Itakama is the name for the 'mayor' of Qidšu, of the 1350-1335 BC Amarna letters correspondence....
) and say as follows: "Come, tak[e] Upu in its entirety." - My lord, just as DimaškiDamascusDamascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
(Damascus) in Upu (falls) at your feet, so may QatnaQatnaQatna is an archaeological site in the Wadi il-Aswad, a tributary of the Orontes, 18 km northeast of Homs, Syria. It consists in a tell occupying 1 km², which makes it one of the largest Bronze Age towns in western Syria...
(fall) at your feet. My lord, one asks for life before my messenger. I do not fear [at al]l in the presence of the archers of my lord, since the archers belong to my lord. If he sends (them) to me, they will en[ter] Qatna." -EA 53, (only lines 52-70(End)).
The intrigue of the three Amarna letters appears to involve areas to the north and northwest of Damascus, into Lebanon and the Beqaa (named Amqu
Amqu
The Amqu is a region , equivalent to the Beqaa Valley region, named in the 1350-1335 BC Amarna letters corpus....
).
And, for example Tašša
Tassa
Tassa is a form of kettle drum, presumably of Persian derivation. Tassa drums are widespread all over India. Typically, one or more tassa drums are played together with a heavy bass drum called dhol, perhaps along with brass cymbals or a metal shaker...
, appears to be "Tahash," Tahaš, named after the biblical 'Tahash' personage; see: Patriarchs (Bible)
Patriarchs (Bible)
The Patriarchs of the Bible, when narrowly defined, are Abraham, the ancestor of all the Abrahamic nations; his son Isaac, the ancestor of the nations surrounding Israel/Judah; and Isaac's son Jacob, also named Israel, the ancestor of the Israelites...
.