A residential sector stretched into the Lower Town south of the Royal Palace: it was
located outside the perimeter wall of the building, but communicated with it by means
of a narrow door. This element, as well as the presence of some administrative
document inside it, lead us to believe that this was the residence of a high official of the
administration, possibly charged with the control over timber trade. In fact, the few
texts found there deal only with this aspect of the economy, and they probably belong
to another small archive.
Lastly, the North-West Wing is located immediately north of the Court of
Audience, and at the same level; a short staircase connected it with the upper level of
services of the North-West Wing. This sector is not well preserved, and only two rooms
have thus far been identified, but several very precious objects were found in it, among
which the seal of one Ushra-samu (Matthiae 2010 b), an official known also from the
Archives texts, and the fragments of an object identified as a ceremonial standard
(Figure 28. 8 ). The standard, quite likely belonging to Tabur-Damu, last queen of Ebla,
represents the living queen standing in meditation in front of the sitting statue of her
dead predecessor Dusigu: the standing statue is made of steatite and silver, originally
over a wooden core, the seated statue is of gold, steatite and limestone, also over an
original wooden core, while between the two figures there was a bronze incense stand
(Matthiae 2009 b). The presence of these objects suggests this quarter hosted important
functions in the life of the Palace, quite likely related to the female members of the
court.
The whole palatial building developed on different levels, with terraces going up
towards the top of the Acropolis: the presence of the storerooms of the Central
Complex on the south slope of the citadel may be a proof of the fact that the units of
the Palace occupied a large part of the Acropolis, or even its whole surface. At the time
of the discovery, in 1974 – 1975 , when only the Court of Audience was brought to light,
the articulation of the façades of the open space, and the location of the Monumental
Stairway, which is not in a central position in the east façade, led us to propose a
–– Frances Pinnock ––Figure 28.6Blocks of raw lapis lazuli from the Administrative
Quarter in the Royal Palace G, Early Bronze IVA (© Missione
Archeologica Italiana in Siria)Figure 28.7
Steatite and lapis lazuli
hair-dresses from the
storeroom L. 2982 , behind
the Throne Room of the
Royal Palace G, Early
Bronze IVA (© Missione
Archeologica Italiana in
Siria)