How old are the earliest known Akkadian and Eblaite documents?

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The earliest known documents for these Afro-Asiatic languages date to the 3rd millennium BCE:

  • Akkadian: While the Akkadian language became prominent with the rise of the Akkadian Empire (c. 2334–2154 BCE), the earliest Akkadian names and words appear in written sources from the 27th century BCE. Additionally, Akkadian scribes are identified in archives at Tall Abū Ṣalābīkh that date to shortly after 2600 BCE.1
  • Eblaite: The Eblaite language is documented in the state archives of Ebla, which consist of thousands of cuneiform tablets. These archives date to the third quarter of the 3rd millennium BCE, specifically during the height of the city's power (c. 2600–2240 BCE).23