This paper analyses the occurrence of some peculiar terms connected to specific cultic activities performed at Ebla/Tell Mardikh.

The author starts outlining these recurrent elements:

1. the presence of specific priests, considered as 'cultic technicians' (namely PA₄:ŠEŠ [= pašīšu], and A:NAGA [ʼà-a-um = elēlum] É EN 'purificator priest of the lord's house');
2. an offering, NÍDBA or NÍG.BA (sometimes consisting of textiles, such as the maš-da-bù, a 'wool textile') to the god ^dKura (the polyad deity of Ebla);
3. the syntagma DU₁₁.GA, 'order, vow', 'request' (and variants KA.DI.II and KA.GÁ.II = ragāmum = bâlum, 'recited prayer') i-sa-rí (with variants i-sa-i and i-sá-rí = išārum, 'to be favorable' [from a root meaning 'normal, right']);
4. the presence of the term da-mi-mu (and variants; translated with 'reciter, lamenter').

As stressed by the author, “il valore che tali elementi assumono sia sulla base del significato di alcune parole chiave, come indicato dalle liste lessicali di Ebla, sia sulla base dell’analisi prosopografica, suggerisce l’individuazione di un atto di culto” (“the value that these elements assume is based on the meaning of some keywords, as indicated by Ebla’s lexical lists, both on the basis of prosopographic analysis, suggests the identification of an act of worship”; English translation by mDP) [p. 131].

Throughout the article, the author presents many texts from Ebla (mainly ARET 1.13, ARET 1.14, ARET 3.400, ARET 3.497, ARET 4.4, ARET 4.21, ARET 4.22, ARET 8.529, ARET 8.542, ARET 4.16, ARET 3.192, TM.75.G.1399, ARET 1.10, ARET 3.139, ARET 4.17, ARET 1.15) trying to better determine the exact meaning of the aforementioned elements, also providing a relative chronology of the examined terminology, investigating the diachronic development of the present ritual.

The main results of such an analysis are outlined on pp. 139-140: “Confrontando questi dati con la distribuzione dei sumerogrammi KADI.II/KAGÁ.II e DU₁₁.GA nelle espressioni in esame, si ricava che KADI.II i-sa-rí (e variante) è la formula usata nei passi di datazione alta […], mentre DU₁₁.GA i-sa-rí è la formula dei passi recenti. Si può allora concludere:

1. che il parallelismo delle due espressioni si riferisce in effetti ad uno stesso atto di culto, come suggerito dalla presenza costante di i-sa-rí;
2. che ad entrambe può essere attribuito un significato 'preghiera di buona fortuna';
3. che il modo con cui questo atto cultuale viene citato nei testi ha però subito un'evoluzione terminologica;
4. d) che tale evoluzione potrebbe non essere meramente convenzionale, bensì sostanziale, qualora potesse essere messa in relazione con quanto osservato più oltre [...] circa la correlazione delle due espressioni con due differenti sacerdoti”.

(“By comparing these data with the distribution of the sumerograms KADI.II/KAGÁ.II and DU₁₁.GA in the expressions under examination, it is found that KADI.II i-sa-rí (and variant) is the formula used in the passages of high dating […], while DU₁₁.GA i-sa-rí is the formula of more recent texts. We can therefore conclude:

1. that the parallelism of the two expressions refers in fact to the same act of worship, as suggested by the constant presence of i-sa-rí;
2. that both the expressions mean a 'good luck prayer';
3. that the way in which this cultic act is mentioned in the texts has however undergone a terminological evolution;
4. that this evolution may not be merely conventional, but substantial, if it could be related to what was observed further on ... about the correlation of the two expressions with two different priests”; English translation by mDP).

On p. 147 the author offers an index of all the mentioned passages.

This paper is noteworthy as a specimen of methodology, showing a philological accuracy in the analysis of the original terminology (Sumerian and Akkadian) referring to specific cultic activities, priestly figures involved in rites, and peculiar offerings to the gods of the Eblaite pantheon. The philological scrupulousness strengthens the analysis, avoiding any superposition of modern concepts far from the original mind of ancient Mesopotamian worshippers.