Elam in Third-Millennium BC Mesopotamian Written Sources: Awan Dynasty

Abstract

In this study, the political relationship between Mesopotamia and Elam in third millennium BC has been dwelled on and Elam’s political history has been aimed to be enlightened. In the subject period, the two dynasties, named respectively Awan and Šimaški, have become prominent politically in Elam. However, here, almost contemporary with the Third Dynasty of Ur, Šimaški Dynasty has been out of scope, the process when Elam's first appearance on history, from 27th century BC to 2100 BC has been discussed. In this period, due to the lack of domestic resources scarcely any, Elamite history, except for a few examples, has been learned in the light of the written sources coming from Mesopotamia. In this context, the sources of the Early Dynasties and Akkadian periods were examined, and they have been compared with the written documents, when necessary by using the archaeological findings. Nevertheless, local sources that are very few also were mentioned. The only king of Elam who left epigraphs after himself, Puzur-Inšušinak's epigraphs were analyzed by including in this study. Elam, which existed in the southwest of Iran from the beginning of the third millennium BC until the Persian period, has had cultural, economic and political relations with the civilizations in its close neighbor Mesopotamia since the early periods of history. Even though it is known that cultural and economic relations are to be known since prehistoric periods, the first information about political relations dates to the Early Dynastic Period, 27th century BC. In the Early Dynastic period, Elam had political contacts with Kiš, Ur, and Lagaš city-states. During the Akkadian period, some parts of Elam lands were under the control of this state. Akkadian Kings, starting from Sargon the Great until the Šar-Kali-Šarri period, organized many expeditions on Elam. As a result of the collapse of Akkad, the last king of the Awan Dynasty, Puzur-Inšušinak, managed to achieve political unity. But, this case did not last long, Ur-Nammu, who established the Third Dynasty of Ur, vanquished Puzur-Inšušinak.