What kinds of religious texts were found at Ugarit?

The excavations at the ancient city of Ugarit (modern Ras Shamra) have yielded the most extensive collection of religious documentation from the 2nd millennium BCE in Syria and Palestine. These findings include the only native examples of extended religious narratives from the region, preserved on clay tablets written in both Babylonian cuneiform and a unique local alphabetic cuneiform script.12

The religious texts discovered at Ugarit encompass a wide variety of genres, including:

• Myths and Legends: These include significant narrative works such as the Baal Cycle, the Legend of Keret, and the Aqhat Epic.213
• Liturgical Texts: These include ritual compositions, such as a myth detailing the birth of the gods of dawn and dusk.13
• Official Religious Documents: These provide direct insight into state-sanctioned religious practice and include god lists, sacrificial lists, and records of temple rituals.13
• Other Records: The archives also contain omens and various forms of correspondence that reflect the broader cultural and religious life of the city.1

These texts are invaluable for understanding the ancient Canaanite pantheon—which included deities such as El, Asherah, and Baal—and have provided critical context for studying the Hebrew Bible.2