2.7 As in the case of the other Syrian kingdoms, several (more than
40) Eblaite “elders,” ábba, are mentioned.^14 Foreign kings traveled
accompanied by their elders. The Eblaite palace guarantees foodstuff
rations to the local elders. The elders may have acted as royal advis-
ers, being representatives of groups sharing interests with the royal
family.- L
3.1 The administrative texts document at least fourteen “judges,”
di-ku 5.^15 Frequently they appear in pairs and are among the lugals.
In the few di-ku 5 texts, however, which may be classified as verdicts,
the one who judges is the king. (In ARET XIII 12, Ib-rí-umseems
to act as judge in a dispute between a high ranking person from
Ebla and the village of Muru.) We know virtually nothing about
when, where and how the di-ku 5 judges exercised their office.3.2 di-ku 5 texts^16 are 75.1430, 75.1452 and 75.1632 (unpublished).
In all of these verdicts, the formula di-ku 5 PN, “verdict for PN,”
occurs in connection with rural property (ki), the PN always refer-
ing to a member of Ib-rí-um’s family (A-¢ír-da-mu, Ù-ti, Gi-rí). (They
will be discussed under 6 below, together with ARET XIII 7.)- P S
4.1 While only the lexical lists mention the “commoner” (ma“-en-
kak = mu“kayyinum, VE 1306), men and women dependent on some-
one else, irrespective of their own status, activity or personal wealth,
occur as ir 11 , “servant” (Eblaitic equivalent unknown, possibly 'abdum),
and géme, “female servant” (Eblaitic equivalent unknown). These
two terms refer to domestic servants and workers of various origins,
probably including prisoners of war.^17 Cases of sacred manumission(^14) Klengel, “Älteste.. .”; Archi, “Gli Archivi Reali.. .,” 115.
(^15) Archi, “Studies in Eblaite Prosopography.. .,” 263ff.; cf. VE 1327, di-ku 5 =
ba-da-gu da-ne-u[m] “to render a verdict.”
(^16) Milano, “Ébla: Gestion des terres.. .,” 155.
(^17) See also “female captives,” géme-gi/-gi 4 , probably asirtu; note also “prostitute,”
géme-kar-kìd = tamaktum, EV 084, and “female brewer, alehouse keeper,” géme-
gàr-ra = sàbi"tum, VE 1412.
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