Subartu

The land of Subartu (Akkadian: Šubartum/Subartum/ina Šú-ba-ri, Assyrian: mât Šubarri) or Subar (Sumerian: Su-bir4/Subar/Šubur, Ugaritic: 𐎘𐎁𐎗 ṯbr) is mentioned in Bronze Age literature and was inhabited by the Subarians. The name also appears as Subari in the Amarna letters, and, in the form Šbr, in Ugarit. Subartu was apparently a kingdom in Upper Mesopotamia, at the upper Tigris and later it referred to a region of Mesopotamia. Most scholars suggest that Subartu is an early name for people of upper Mesopotamia proper on the Tigris and westward, although there are various other theories placing it sometimes a little farther to the east and/or north. Its precise location has not been identified. From the point of view of the Akkadian Empire, Subartu marked the northern geographical horizon, just as Amurru, Elam and Sumer marked "west", "east" and "south", respectively, functioning as a term to mean 'north'.