The first destruction occurred c. 2300 BC; palace "G" was burned, baking the clay tablets of the royal archives and preserving them.
Many theories about the cause and the perpetrator have been posited:
High (early) dating hypothesis: Giovanni Pettinato supports an early dating for Ebla that would put the destruction at around 2500 BC.
Pettinato, while preferring the date of 2500 BC, later accepted the event could have happened in 2400 BC.
The scholar suggests the city was destroyed in 2400 BC by a Mesopotamian such as Eannatum of Lagash—who boasted of taking tribute from Mari—or Lugalzagesi of Umma, who claimed to have reached the Mediterranean.

Akkadian hypothesis: Both kings Sargon of Akkad and his grandson Naram-Sin claimed to have destroyed a town called Ibla, The discoverer of Ebla, Paolo Matthiae, considers Sargon a more likely culprit; his view is supported by Trevor Bryce, but rejected by Michael Astour.
The conquest of Armanum and Ebla on the Mediterranean coast by Naram-Sin is mentioned in several of his inscriptions:
"Whereas, for all time since the creation of mankind, no king whosoever had destroyed Armanum and Ebla, the god Nergal, by means of (his) weapons opened the way for Naram-Sin, the mighty, and gave him Armanum and Ebla.
Further, he gave to him the Amanus, the Cedar Mountain, and the Upper Sea.
By means of the weapons of the god Dagan, who magnifies his kingship, Naram-Sin, the mighty, conquered Armanum and Ebla."

— Inscription of Naram-Sin.
E 2.1.4.26
Mari's revenge: According to Alfonso Archi and Maria Biga, the destruction happened approximately three or four years after the battle of Terqa.
Archi and Biga say the destruction was caused by Mari in retaliation for its humiliating defeat at Terqa.
This view is supported by Mario Liverani.
Archi says the Mariote king Isqi-Mari destroyed Ebla before ascending the throne of his city.

Natural catastrophe: Astour says a natural catastrophe caused the blaze which ended the archive period.
He says the destruction was limited to the area of the royal palace and there is no convincing evidence of looting.
He dates the fire to c. 2290 BC (Middle Chronology).
The first destruction occurred c. 2300 BC; palace "G" was burned, baking the clay tablets of the royal archives and preserving them. Many theories about the cause and the perpetrator have been posited:
High (early) dating hypothesis: Giovanni Pettinato supports an early dating for Ebla that would put the destruction at around 2500 BC. Pettinato, while preferring the date of 2500 BC, later accepted the event could have happened in 2400 BC. The scholar suggests the city was destroyed in 2400 BC by a Mesopotamian such as Eannatum of Lagash—who boasted of taking tribute from Mari—or Lugalzagesi of Umma, who claimed to have reached the Mediterranean.
Akkadian hypothesis: Both kings Sargon of Akkad and his grandson Naram-Sin claimed to have destroyed a town called Ibla, The discoverer of Ebla, Paolo Matthiae, considers Sargon a more likely culprit; his view is supported by Trevor Bryce, but rejected by Michael Astour. The conquest of Armanum and Ebla on the Mediterranean coast by Naram-Sin is mentioned in several of his inscriptions:
"Whereas, for all time since the creation of mankind, no king whosoever had destroyed Armanum and Ebla, the god Nergal, by means of (his) weapons opened the way for Naram-Sin, the mighty, and gave him Armanum and Ebla. Further, he gave to him the Amanus, the Cedar Mountain, and the Upper Sea. By means of the weapons of the god Dagan, who magnifies his kingship, Naram-Sin, the mighty, conquered Armanum and Ebla."
— Inscription of Naram-Sin. E 2.1.4.26
Mari's revenge: According to Alfonso Archi and Maria Biga, the destruction happened approximately three or four years after the battle of Terqa. Archi and Biga say the destruction was caused by Mari in retaliation for its humiliating defeat at Terqa. This view is supported by Mario Liverani. Archi says the Mariote king Isqi-Mari destroyed Ebla before ascending the throne of his city.
Natural catastrophe: Astour says a natural catastrophe caused the blaze which ended the archive period. He says the destruction was limited to the area of the royal palace and there is no convincing evidence of looting. He dates the fire to c. 2290 BC (Middle Chronology).
Ebla