Ganibatum

Ganibatum is a place and people mentioned in the 18th century BC Old Babylonian texts from Mari (modern Tell Harari).

In fact there may be several locations associated with the Ganibatum who appear involved in the transport of people and goods along the Euphrates and connected waterways.

An identification with the Gnbtyw people bringing aromatic goods to Egypt after Thutmose III’s campaign to Syria in the mid 15th century BC has recently been proposed (Storck, 2005).

Thutmose III might have encountered the people of Ganibatum (Gnbtyw) in the course of his campaign that explicitly reached the Euphrates in Syria.

Indeed slightly later campaigns of Thutmose III in Northern Syria resulted in “presents” (inw) from the even further lands of Babylon, Assur and “Great Hatti” (Singer, 2004 p. 605-607).