The Vocabolario di Ebla (VE) is a collective term encompassing several bilingual lexicographic compositions discovered in the ancient city of Ebla. Dating back to approximately 2370 BCE, these documents compiled by Eblaite scribes list hundreds of words and expressions. Some entries also include translations or paraphrases in the Eblaite language. Scholars have identified at least four distinct manuscripts or "versions" of this list, which they have been reconstructing from dozens of fragments over the past five decades. Additionally, several dozen shorter excerpts (known as estratti) have been unearthed.

The Vocabolario serves as an invaluable resource for linguists, historians, and archaeologists studying the Eblaite language and the ancient city. It plays a critical role in helping researchers decipher the meanings of Eblaite words, understand the language's grammatical structure, and gain insights into the vocabulary used by palace accountants.

The various manuscripts and excerpts exhibit a generally consistent structure, with some variations. Sumerian words are typically arranged based on graphic, phonetic, or semantic similarity (see below). Most bilingual lists are divided into sections containing words that begin with the same logogram. For example, [Manuscript A-1] starts with [Section NINDA] (𒃻), followed by [Section KA] (𒅗), [Section SAG] (𒊕), and so on. Each section includes numerous words starting with the corresponding sign.

Certain words are accompanied by Eblaite glosses, the local Semitic language. These glosses can be direct translations or paraphrases. Some bilingual compositions use a Glossenkeil (a small 𒀹, marked here as ✽) to distinguish Semitic translations from Sumerian entries. A glossed entry looks like this:

This entry appears in [Manuscript D5], sixth column, fouth and fifth cases. The Sumerian term gi₆-sa₂ is equated with the expression /bayna(y) mīšim/, "in the middle of the night".

The term "acrographic" refers to the organization of these lists based on the first sign of each entry. It derives from the Greek words ἄκρος (meaning "uppermost") and γράφειν (meaning "to write"). This system resembles alphabetic order, where letters are named using sounds that begin with the letter itself. However, scholars like Wagensonner have recently argued that the term "acrographic" is overly simplistic. They point out that while the first sign plays a role, phonetic and semantic relationships also influence the arrangement within individual sections.

Multiple manuscripts and abridged versions of the Ebla Vocabulary have been unearthed. These texts share a relatively consistent list of Sumerian terms, primarily derived from local monolingual lists. However, the inclusion and content of glosses vary significantly across different manuscripts. The same Sumerian term might have different glosses, or no gloss at all, in various versions.

For example, the term gi₆-sa₂ appears in several manuscripts with diverging glosses. In [Manuscript A-2] and [Manuscript B], it translates to /šiqrum/ ("dawn", spelled si-gi-lu-um and si-gi-lum respectively), while [[Manuscript C]] offers u₃-ru mu-si-im, signifying /urru mūšim/ ("light of the night").

A composite text, published by Giovanni Pettinato in 1982 (MEE 4), compiles all known variations of each Sumerian term and its associated glosses. This comprehensive resource systematically numbers and consolidates all entries, providing a clear picture of the lexical information available in the Ebla Vocabulary:

This website aims to provide a dynamic and up-to-date synopsis of the most extensively studied entries from the Vocabolario di Ebla. Leveraging the Wikilink feature, commonly employed in wiki environments like Wikipedia, this platform facilitates the creation of an interconnected web of pages. These pages utilize double square brackets, as in [[this]], to frame essential keywords. The integration of hyperlinks is automated through the foam software, enabling the compilation and publication of static webpages via GitHub Pages.

Beyond technical considerations, this website serves as a comprehensive repository of records, establishing hierarchical connections among all facets of the Vocabolario di Ebla. This system encompasses various elements, ranging from fragments and sources to entries and manuscripts, all interlinked within a unified framework.

The navigation menu is straightforward and self-explanatory. To begin your exploration of the Vocabolario, you can choose to browse through the manuscripts, sources, or the glosses. For a visual representation of the included VE entries, you can refer to the visualization accessible here.

As previously mentioned, since the bilingual compositions are primarily based on acrographic monolingual manuscripts, it's important to consider these manuscripts along with their corresponding sources. Additionally, we also take into account other monolingual Sumerian compositions of Mesopotamian origin, albeit to a lesser extent.

//begin: # "Autogenerated link references for markdown compatibility"1Manuscript A-1: "Manuscript A-1"1Section NINDA: