Document Type : Research Paper
Author
History department, Persian Gulf University, Bushehr
Abstract
The Elamite pantheon underwent significant changes in the course of long history of Elam, since the treaty between Akkadian king, Narām-Sin and Hitta, king of Awan dynasty in the late 3rd millennium BC until the Achaemenid era, when tablets were still written in Elamite language. The Examination of the causes and factors influencing the rise and fall of the status and importance of various deities in Elamite religion has often been a secondary and implicit topic in studies of Elamite religion. This paper takes a geographical approach to understanding the Elamite pantheon.
In the federative structure of Elam, Susa -located in the lowlands of Khuzestan and heavily influenced by the Mesopotamian culture- was the most important city and political capital. As a result, the kings of Elam frequently invoked Inšušinak, the city’s patron deity, for political purposes. With the rise of larger Elamite dynasties, especially during the middle Elamite period, the deities of the mountainous regions also gained prominence and respect in Susa. Among them, the sacred Anshanite couple, Napiriša (the Great God) and Kiririša (the Great Goddess), stand out, and their significance is symbolically represented in the Kurangan Shrine. From this period onward, the structure of the Elamite pantheon aligns with the royal title "King of Anshan and Susa", reflecting the central elements of Elam’s political and cultural geography.
In the federative structure of Elam, Susa -located in the lowlands of Khuzestan and heavily influenced by the Mesopotamian culture- was the most important city and political capital. As a result, the kings of Elam frequently invoked Inšušinak, the city’s patron deity, for political purposes. With the rise of larger Elamite dynasties, especially during the middle Elamite period, the deities of the mountainous regions also gained prominence and respect in Susa. Among them, the sacred Anshanite couple, Napiriša (the Great God) and Kiririša (the Great Goddess), stand out, and their significance is symbolically represented in the Kurangan Shrine. From this period onward, the structure of the Elamite pantheon aligns with the royal title "King of Anshan and Susa", reflecting the central elements of Elam’s political and cultural geography.
Keywords
Main Subjects
)