Late Bronze Age Yokneam may be identified with one of the city-states mentioned in the Amarna letters (1360–1332 BCE). A petrographic study of the letters suggests that Yokneam was a city-state, and that one of its kings was called Ba'lu-mehir (mehir is a West Semitic word for "warrior"). Ba'lu-mehir sent four letters, written on clay tablets. The association with Yokneam is based on indications that the material for the tablets was mined in one of two specific locations on Mount Carmel. One of these is located only from Tel Yokneam. In one of the letters, the city named is G-ma-te. The relationship between the name G-ma-te and 'En-qn'mu or Yokneam is unclear. Ba'lu-mehir was summoned to Megiddo along with King Labaya of the city of Shechem, who was accused by Egypt of acts of aggression against other kingdoms. Ba'lu-mehir was probably an ally of his.Gershon Galil,
