Ushu

This article is about the ancient mainland city. For the former Japanese province, see Dewa Province.

Ushu, (and Amarna letters: Usu), was an ancient mainland city that supplied Tyre, Lebanon with water, supplies and burial grounds. The name is based upon the mythical figure Usoos or Ousoüs, a descendant of Genos and Genea, whose children allegedly discovered fire as recorded by Sanchuniathon (Sankunyaton).[1]

1350 BC, Amarna letters Usu

The 1350-1335 BC Amarna letters correspondence refers to mainland Usu in three letters of Abimilku of Tyre, Lebanon. The three letters, EA 148, 149, 150-(EA for 'el Amarna'), are the only references to Usu in the 382 Amarna letters corpus, and are grouped because of the topic, (partially Usu), of the three letters.

Of note, Abimilku is nowhere else referenced by name in any other letters of the correspondence, except his own letters, all addressed to the Ancient Egyptian pharaoh. Abimilku's ten letters, EA 145 – EA 155, mostly have the conflict of Tyre with Zimredda (Sidon mayor), the Habiru, or Aziru of Amurru-(especially EA 148, with Usu). Zimredda is the topic of five of the ten letters, as well as in letter EA 149, (with commissioner Haapi), the pharaoh is seeking information about Zimredda.

In the three letters (with Usu), water, wood, straw, clay, and burial grounds-(the dead) are referenced. Pottery may be implied with some of the materials, as well as food, (the straw), or wood for fires.

The three letters referring to Usu

  1. EA 148"The need for mainland Tyre"
  2. EA 149"Neither water nor wood"; See: Egyptian commissioner, Haapi
  3. EA 150"Needed: just one soldier"

External links

References

Notes

  1. Bikai, Pierre, The Land of Tyre, found in chapter 2 of Martha Joukowsky’s “The Heritage of Tyre” 1992, p. 13.
  2. Link to Pr. Ev.: .

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