The Syrian steppes and the kingdom of Ibal in the third millennium B.C. New data from the Ebla texts

Despite the fact that there is no certainty, the unanimously accepted location of the confederation of Ibal south of Ebla, in the region between Qatna and Tell al-Rawda, is confirmed by the Ebla texts studied in this paper. Unfortunately the numerous texts regarding the complex relations between Ebla and Ibal do not allow the identifi cation of an itinerary between the two states. However it is certain that the confederation included a large number of centres, some of which were important; more cities of the confederation can be identifi ed from the texts studied here. The region was therefore densely inhabited.