Susa and Elam.Archaeological, Philological, Historical

and Geographical Perspectives

Mémoires de la Délégation en Perse

Edited by

Michel TanretHermann Gasche

Béatrice André-SalviniDaryoush Akbarzadeh

VOLUME 58

�e titles published in this series are listed at brill.com/mdp

Susa and Elam.Archaeological, Philological, Historical

and Geographical Perspectives

Proceedings of the International Congress Held atGhent University, December 14–17, 2009

Edited by

Katrien De GraefJan Tavernier

LEIDEN • BOSTON2013

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Susa and Elam. Archaeological, philological, historical and geographical perspectives : proceedings of the international congress heldat Ghent University, December 14-17, 2009 / edited by Katrien De Graef, Jan Tavernier.

pages cm. – (Mémoires de la Délégation en Perse, ISSN 1782-4168 ; volume 58)Includes bibliographical references and index.ISBN 978-90-04-20740-0 (hardback : acid-free paper) – ISBN 978-90-04-20741-7 (e-book) 1. Susa (Extinct

city)–Antiquities–Congresses. 2. Elam–Antiquities–Congresses. 3. Susa (Extinct city)–History–Congresses. 4.Elam–History–Congresses. 5. Susa (Extinct city)–Languages–Congresses. 6. Elam–Languages–Congresses. 7. Susa (Extinctcity)–Geography–Congresses. 8. Elam–Geography–Congresses. I. Graef, Katrien de. II. Tavernier, J. (Jan)

DS262.S9S87 2012935'.764–dc23

2012029256

ISSN 1782-4168ISBN 978-90-04-20740-0 (hardback)ISBN 978-90-04-20741-7 (e-book)

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CONTENTS

List of Abbreviations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ixPreface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii

I

ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL-HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES

A New South-Eastern Iranian Glyptic Evidence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Enrico Ascalone

New Evidences on Emergence of Complex Societies in the Central Iranian Plateau . . . . . . . 27M. Hessari and R. YouseÞ Zoshk

�e Trans-Tigridian Corridor in the Early �ird Millennium bc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43Steve Renette

Elam and Eshnunna: Historical and Archaeological Interrelations during the OldBabylonian Period . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51Luca Peyronel

Transferts culturels de la Babylonie vers Suse au milieu du e millénaire av. n. ère . . . . . . . . . 71Hermann Gasche

Elams Kulturkontakte mit seinen Nachbarn im Spiegel der Glyptik des . Jahrtausends v.Chr. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83Georg Neumann

In the Shadow of Kurangun: Cultural Developments in the Highlands betweenKhuzestan and Ansan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129Daniel T. Potts

Essai d’application de la méthode de la psychologie environnementale à traversl’exemple de la ville méso-élamite de Dûr-untas (Tchoga-zanbil, Iran), site inscrit aupatrimoine mondial de l’Unesco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139Zsolt Gábor Lantos

Some Chronological Aspects of the Building Structures at Ha� Tappeh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161Behzad MoÞdi-Nasrabadi

Distribution, Materials and Functions of the “Wall Knobs” in the Near Eastern LateBronze Age: From South-Western Iran to the Middle Euphrates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173Françelin Tourtet

Re-assessing Elamite Highland Boundaries: New Evidence for the Middle andNeo-Elamite Periods in the Mamasani Valleys, South-Western Iran . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191Bernadette McCall

Braids of Glory. Elamite Sculptural Reliefs from the Highlands: Kul-e Farah IV . . . . . . . . . . . 207Javier Álvarez-Mon

vi contents

From Susa to Persepolis: �e Pseudo-Sealing of the Persepolis Bronze Plaque . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249Gian Pietro Basello

Seal Impressions from Susa. Re-evaluating Some of the Findings in Susa Available in theNational Museum of Iran and Introducing Some Unpublished Samples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265Sedigheh Piran

II

PHILOLOGICAL, PHILOLOGICAL-HISTORICALAND HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES

Ur-Nammâ(k)’s Conquest of Susa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285Gianni Marchesi

Puzur-Insusinak at Susa: A Pivotal Episode of Early Elamite History Reconsidered . . . . . . . 293Piotr Steinkeller

Les premiers sukkalmah et les derniers rois de Simaski. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319Jean-Jacques Glassner

La «suprématie Élamite» sur les Amorrites. Réexamen, vingt ans après la XXXVIe RAI() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329Jean-Marie Durand

«Ainsi parle l’empereur» à propos de la correspondance des sukkal-mah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341Dominique Charpin

Prosopographische Untersuchungen anhand der Rechtsurkunden aus Susa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355Sheyda Jalilvand SadaÞ

Scribal Training in Old Babylonian Susa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365Mehrnoush Malayeri

Abiesuh, Elam and Ashurbanipal: New Evidence from Old Babylonian Sippar . . . . . . . . . . . . 377Frans van Koppen

Sugirs of Ansan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 399Matthew W. Stolper

Approche historique et philologique du titre royal ‘likame/we risakki’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 417Stéphanie Anthonioz and Florence Malbran-Labat

Beziehungen zweier Großmächte – Elam und Babylonien in der . Häl�e des . Jt. v.Chr. Ein Beitrag zur internen Chronologie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 429Susanne Paulus

Dynamics of the Fall: Ashurbanipal’s Conquest of Elam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 451Peter Dubovsky

Elamite and Old Iranian A�erlife Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 471Jan Tavernier

contents vii

III

GEOGRAPHICAL PERSPECTIVES

Geoarchaeological Research in Lower Khuzestan: State of the Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 493Vanessa M.A. Heyvaert, Peter Verkinderen and Jan Walstra

Index of Divine Names . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 535Index of Personal Names . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 537Index of Topographical Names. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 542Index of Text Citations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 548

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

AA Arts AsiatiquesAB Assyriologische BibliothekABAWPh Abhandlungen der Bayerischen Akademie der Wissenscha�en. Philosophisch-histori-

sche KlasseABL R.F. Harper, Assyrian and Babylonian Latters belonging to the Kouyunjik collections of the

British Museum, London, –AcSum Acta SumerologicaADFU Ausgrabungen der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinscha� in Uruk-WarkaADOG Abhandlungen der Deutschen Orient-Gesellscha�AfO Archiv für OrientforschungAHw Akkadisches HandwörterbuchAION Annali dell’Istituto Universitario OrientaleAJA American Journal of ArchaeologyAJSLL American Journal of Semitic Languages and LiteratureAMI Archäologische Mitteilungen aus IranAMIT Archäologische Mitteilungen aus Iran und TuranAnOr Analecta OrientaliaAOAT Alter Orient und Altes testamentAOS American Oriental SeriesArAs Arts AsiatiquesArOr Archiv OrientalníARM Archives royales de MariAS Assyriological StudiesAUCT Andrews University Cuneiform TextsAUWE Ausgrabungen in Uruk-Warka. EndberichteBA Beiträge zur Assyriologie und vergleichenden semitischen Sprachwissenscha�BagM Deutsches Archäologisches Institut. Baghdader MitteilungenBaM Deutsches Archäologisches Institut. Baghdader MitteilungenBAR-IS British Archaeological Reports. International SeriesBBV Berliner Beiträge zur Vor- und FrühgeschichteBBVO Berliner Beiträge zum Vorderen Orient.BBVOT Berliner Beiträge zum Vorderen Orient. TexteBE �e Babylonian Expedition of the University of PennsylvaniaBiblAr �e Biblical ArchaeologistBiOr Bibliotheca OrientalisBIWA R. Borger, Beiträge zur Inschri�enwerk Assurbanipals : die Prismenklassen A, B, C = K, D,

E, F, G, H, J und T sowie andere Inschri�en, Wiesbaden, .BM British MuseumBN Beiträge zur NamenforschungBPOA Bibliotecé del Proximo Oriente AntiguoBZAR Beihe�e zur Zeitschri� für altorientalische und biblische RechtsgeschichteCAD Chicago Assyrian DictionaryCAH Cambridge Ancient HistoryCANE J. Sasson (ed.), Civilisations of the Ancient Near East, New York, .CBS Collection of the Babylonian Section (University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia).CDAFI Cahiers de délégation archéologique française en IranCDOG Colloquien der Deutschen Orient-Gesellscha�CIRPL E. Sollberger, Corpus des Inscriptions ‘Royales’ Présargoniques de Lagas, Genève, CM Cuneiform MonographsCPOA Civilisations du Proche-Orient Ancien. Série : Archéologie et environnementCPOP Civilisations du Proche-Orient Ancien. Série : PhilologieCRAIBL Comptes Rendus des séances de l’Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres

x list of abbreviations

CT Cuneiform Texts from Babylonian Tablets in the British MuseumCUAS Columbia University Oriental StudiesCUSAS Cornell University Studies in Assyriology and SumerologyDA Documenta AsianaDB Dictionnaire de la BibleDMOA Documenta et Monumenta Orientis AntiquiEKI F.W. König, Die elamischen Königsinschri�en (AfO. Beih. ), Graz, .ElWb W. Hinz & H. Koch, Elamisches Wörterbuch (AMI. Ergänzungsband ), Berlin, .EncIr Encyclopedia IranicaETCSL Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian LiteratureFAOS Freiburger Altorientalische StudienFM Florilegium MarianumGS P. Amiet, Glyptique susienne des origines à l’époque des Perses Achéménides. Cachets,

sceaux-cylindres et empreintes antiques. Découvertes à Suse de à (MDP ),Paris, .

HANES History of the Ancient Near East. StudiesHdO = HdOr Handbuch der OrientalistikHEO Hautes études orientales. Publications de l’Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes. Ive Section.

Sciences historiques et philologiquesHKL R. Borger, Handbuch der Keilschri�literatur, vol., Heidelberg, –HSAO Heidelberger Studien zum alten OrientIrAnt Iranica AntiquaITT Inventaire des Tablettes de TelloJA Journal AsiatiqueJAOS Journal of the American Oriental SocietyJBVO Jenaer Beiträge zum Vorderen Orient Bd. JCS Journal of Cuneiform StudiesJCS/S Journal of Cuneiform Studies. Supplement SeriesJEOL Jaarbericht van het Vooraziatisch-Egyptisch Genootschap Ex Oriente LuxJESHO Journal of the Economic and Social History of the OrientJNES Journal of Near Eastern StudiesJRGS Journal of the Royal Geographic SocietyLAPO Littératures anciennes du Proche-OrientLKA E. Ebeling, Literarische Keilschri�texte aus Assur, BerlinMAD Materials for the Assyrian DictionaryMARI Mari. Annales de Recherches InterdisicplinairesMC Mesopotamian CivilisationsMDAI Mémoires de la délégation archéologique en IranMDP Mémoires de la délégation en PerseMHEM Mesopotamian History and Environment Series. MemoirsMHEOP Mesopotamian History and Environment Series. Occasional PublicationsMHET Mesopotamian History and Environment Series. TextsMMAI Mémoires de la mission archéologique en IranMSKH Materials and Study for Kassite HistoryMSL Materialen zum Sumerischen LexikonMVN Materiali per il vocabolario neosumericoMVSt Münchener Vorderasiatische StudienNABU Nouvelles Assyriologiques Brèves et UtilitairesNAPR Northern Akkad Project ReportsNESt University of California Publications. Near Eastern StudiesOBO Orbis Biblicus et OrientalisOECT Oxford Editions of Cuneiform TextsOIC Oriental Institute CommunicationsOIP Oriental Institute PublicationsOLA Orientalia Lovaniensia AnalectaOLZ Orientalistische LiteraturzeitungOPSKA Occasional publications of the Samuel Noah Kramer Fund

list of abbreviations xi

Or OrientaliaOrA Orient-ArchäologieOrAn Oriens AntiquusOrEx Orient-Express. Notes et nouvelles d’archéologie orientale, Paris.PBS University of Pennsylvania. �e University Museum. Publications of the Babylonian

SectionPDT Die Puzris-Dagan Texte der Istanbuler archäologischen MuseenPF Persepolis FortiÞcation Tablets (published by R.T. Hallock, Persepolis FortiÞcation Tablets

(OIP ), Chicago.PF-NN Unpublished Persepolis FortiÞcation texts cited from dra� editions by Richard T. Hallock

and collated by Wouter F.M. HenkelmanPIHANS Publications de l’institut historique et archéologique néerlandais de StamboulRA Revue d'Assyriologie et d'Archéologie OrientaleRAcc F. �ureau-Dangin, Rituels accadiens, Paris, RGTC Répertoire Géographique des Textes CunéiformesRIMA Royal Inscriptions of Mesopotamia. AssyriaRIMB Royal Inscriptions of Mesopotamia. BabyloniaRIME Royal Inscriptions of Mesopotamia. Early PeriodsRlA Reallexikon der Assyriologie und vorderasiatischen ArchäologieRTC F. �ureau-Dangin, Recueil de tablettes chaldéennes, Paris, SAAS State Archives of Assyria. StudiesSANTAG SANTAG. Arbeiten und Untersuchungen zur Keilschri�kundeSAOC Studies in Ancient Oriental CivilizationSAT Sumerian Archival TextsSCCNH Studies on the Civilisation and the Culture of Nuzi and the HurriansSM Studia MediterraneaStIr Studia IranicaStOr Studia OrientaliaTAVO Tübinger Atlas des Vorderen OrientsTCL Musée du Louvre. Département des Antiquités Orientales. Textes cunéiformesTCS Texts from Cuneiform SourcesTD Tell ed-DerTTM I M.W Stolper, Texts from Tall-i Malyan I: Elamite Administrative Texts (–)

(Occasional Publications of the Babylonian Fund ), Philadelphia.UAVA Untersuchungen zur Assyriologie und Vorderasiatischen ArchäologieUCP-NES University of California Publications. Near Eastern StudiesUE Ur ExcavationsUET Ur Excavations. TextsUF Ugarit-ForschungenUMM University Museum MonographVB Vorderasiatische BibliothekVS Vorderasiatische Schri�denkmaler der Königlichen Museen zu BerlinWO Die Welt des OrientsWVDOG Wissenscha�liche Verö�entlichungen der Deutschen Orient-Gesellscha�YOS Yale Oriental StudiesZA Zeitschri� für Assyriologie und Vorderasiatische ArchäologieZAR Zeitschri� für altorientalische und biblische Rechtsgeschichte

PREFACE

�is proceedings volume contains twenty-seven papers that were read at the internationalcongress “Susa and Elam. Archaeological, Philological, Historical and Geographical Perspec-tives” held at Ghent University, December th–th .

�e aim of this congress was to investigate—exactly years a�er the th Rencontre Assyri-ologique Internationale entitled “Mésopotamie et Elam” held at Ghent University—the presentstate of a�airs on our knowledge of the Elamite and Susian society from an archaeological,philological, historical and geographical point of view.

�e topic of this Þrst “Susa and Elam Congress” was a multidisciplinary approach of the cityof Susa in the broader context of the Elamite region. Susa is one of the oldest cities of the AncientNear East and has known an almost uninterrupted occupation from the th millennium bc tillthe Islamic period. Being one of the most important centres in Khuzestan, the South-WesternIranian region east of Mesopotamia, Susa has been the capital of several Elamite kingdomsand dynasties. Moreover, during the greatest part of its history, Susa has maintained variablerelations with the consecutive Mesopotamian empires and has eventually become one of theseats of the great Persian Empire of the Achaemenids, who ruled the whole Ancient Near East.

�e primary goal of this congress was to generate a multifaceted picture of the historyof Susa and Elam, based on archaeological, philological, historical and geographical researchresults. �e interdisciplinary character of the congress made a substantial contribution to thepresent research into the fundamental landscape, socio-economic, historical and philologicaldevelopments in the Suso-Elamite region. Moreover, the congress wanted to give a new impulseto these studies by assembling all specialists concerned, established and young scholars alike.�e idea is to organise a “Susa and Elam Congress” quinquennally.

�is congress has been made possible thanks to funding by the IAP project “Greater Mesopo-tamia. Reconstruction of its Environment and History” headed by Michel Tanret (GhentUniversity), the Funds for ScientiÞc Research Flanders and the Humanities Faculty of GhentUniversity. I wish to thank each of these for their support.

Moreover, I wish to thank all participants and chairs for making this congress a great successas well as the students, assistants and colleagues of the Department of Languages and Culturesof the Ancient Near East of Ghent University for the organizational support.

Last but not least, I thank Jan Tavernier (Université Catholique de Louvain) for going alongwith me in this adventure, for his support and for co-editing this volume.

Katrien De GraefGhent

I

ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL-HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES

A NEW SOUTH-EASTERN IRANIAN GLYPTIC EVIDENCE

Enrico Ascalone*

. Geographical and Chronological Notes

�e excavations carried out during the second half of the Sixties and in the Seventies inIran have allowed a new historical and cultural approach to the south-eastern regions ofthe Plateau. �e explosion of Þeldwork in the Kerman province, Bampur district and inthe Hilmand valley permitted us to know a more complex cultural horizon of the Iranianeastern area. In the Þrst studies on the new eastern Iranian excavations, the cultural com-plex of Kerman and Lut province, as known from Tepe Yahya and Shahdad archaeologi-cal evidences, was considered ‘intercultural’ by Philip Kohl to underline the civilizing inter-ferences on the chlorite/steatite production (Kohl a; b; ; ; ; ).According to Pierre Amiet’s evaluations on the cultural horizons of the region borderingto the west with the historical Elam and to the east with the Lut desert and the Makrancoast, we believe more correctly to identify in the cultural production of Markhashi lands(Steinkeller contra Van Dijk ) a local, original and unbroken development (Amiet; ).1 However the knowledge of a new eastern Iranian civilization, deÞned Trans-Élamite by Amiet (: –), is not complete and it seems not to be so simple to recon-struct its chronological limits and its geographical di�usion. If we could consider probableto identify in the Kerman region, in the Halil valley, the cultural origin of a di�erent artis-tic thought (as attested in Shahdad, Tepe Yahya and in later Konar Sandal excavations), it isnot yet possible to comprehend the real geographical di�usion of south-eastern Iranian cul-ture.

�e new evidences collected in the Halil valley (Madjidzadeh a) and the excavationscarried out at Konar Sandal South and North (Madjidzadeh b; c; ; ) arecrucial to distinguish an autonomous regional context probably connected to the corpus ofseals known in Tepe Yahya and Shahdad excavations and from antiquary market (in particularPorada ; ; ; Amiet ; ; ).

�e archaeological and stylistic approach to the stratigraphical evidence of Tepe Yahyahave shown di�erent and not exhaustive interpretations principally on IVB period; in theÞrst publications Yahya IVB period was attributed to the Þrst half of the third millennium(Lamberg-Karlovsky ; ; ; ; Lamberg-Karlovsky—Kohl ) and only sub-sequently identiÞed in later chronological framework (Beale ; Amiet ; Potts ).�e evidence for the continuation of the so-called ‘Intercultural Style’ in Akkadian times(Ascalone : tab. ) in Mesopotamia and Iran (Miroschedji : ) and the evidence ofthe glyptic art summarized by Amiet (), support a later date for IVB period.2 �e glyptic

* University of Palermo.1 Concerning the textual Mesopotamian evidences on Markhashi/Parakhshum see in particular Steinkeller ;

; Vallat : ; Heimpel : ; Horowitz : ; T.F. Potts : , n. .2 D.T. Potts takes into consideration an Akkadian-type bull man representation, an alabaster unguent, square

based jar of a type common in Bactria, Iran and Gulf, a piece of incised grey ware (associated to Shahr-i Sokhta IV),

enrico ascalone

Fig. a: South-eastern Iranian cylinder seal from Shahdad (a�er Hakemi : )

collected from Tepe Yahya shows that there is no continuity of occupation between periodIVC and IVB; the glyptic associated with period IVB can not to be earlier than Old Akkadianperiod.

However on the base of last discoveries in the Halil Valley is possible to recognize threedi�erent phases of production in the south-eastern Iranian corpus; the seals collected fromantiquary market and excavations projects (Shahdad, Tepe Yahya and Konar Sandal in theregional context of production, Tôd, Gonur depe and Susa in the secondary contexts) allowto identify at least three main stylistic phases of making:

1. Konar Sandal production (Trench III): ca. /–bc.2. South-eastern Iranian production, classic group (= Konar Sandal Trench V, Yahya IVB;

Takab III): ca. –/bc.3. South-eastern Iranian production, later group (= Yahya IVA; Takab III): ca. /–

/bc.

�e earlier Konar Sandal sealings from Trench III seem to be very close to the ED III Mesopota-mian ateliers (Madjidzadeh ), while the so-called ‘trans-elamite’ seals have to be considereda di�erent and very original production circumscribed to the last quarter of III millenniumbc with internal subdivisions. �e identiÞcation of a later group in the south-eastern Iraniancorpus has been permitted by iconographical and stylistic changing in the Þgurative patrimonyof seals and for their signiÞcant archaeological contexts, in particular for seals coming fromGonur north (last century of III millennium bc), Tôd, in the Treasure of Amenemhat II(ca. –bc), and Tepe Yahya IVA (ca. –bc).3

a Persian Gulf stamp seal and sherds of truncated pots similar to those from numerous sites in Bactria, Margiana andBaluchistan for dating around –bc Yahya IVB period (Potts : –). In spite of Potts hypothesis,P.C. Kohl placed Yahya IVB to the third quarter of �ird millennium bc (around –bc) on the base ofchlorite vessels documentation and the new radiocarbon evidence (Kohl : ); in this way it seems possible toconciliate the chlorite vessels Mesopotamian contexts, the later di�usion of ‘Intercultural Style’ in the Akkadian, Post-Akkadian periods and the iconographical and stylistic cylinder and stamp seals production. Lamberg-Karlovsky’stheory is again a lowering of dating of Yahya IVB period and represents a third di�erent approach to the not clearstratigraphical sequences of Yahya (Lamberg-Karlovsky : –).

3 For a more detailed analysis of south-eastern Iranian corpus see Ascalone : –.

a new south-eastern iranian glyptic evidence

Fig. b: South-eastern Iranian cylinder seal from Shahdad (a�er Hakemi : )

. South-Eastern Iranian Cylinder Seals

�e south-eastern Iranian glyptic documentation collected from Tepe Yahya and Shahdadshows a di�erential use of seals;4 stamp and cylinder morphologies are both well-attested in theKerman area (cf. with the specimens published in Amiet : –, Þg. ; : , Þg. ;Hakemi : , Þgs. Ia. –; Lamberg-Karlovsky : , Þg. C, E; : pl. XXVI: b;Potts : , , Þg. A; Pittman : nn. –). Although the stamp seals seem to bea clear expression of the local culture, a dozen of cylinder seals were found during the Shahdadand Yahya excavations. All excavated Shahdad specimens, except one from the surface,5 aredated to the second half of the III millennium bc (using a periodical regional chronologyfrom Takab IV. to Takab III.). �e Þve excavated cylinder seals from Shahdad were foundin the ‘Main Cemetery’, from the graveyards located in the area A (Hakemi ). A deeperchronological evaluation, based on the iconographical comparisons, could allow us to date themajority of Shahdad cylinder seals6 to the last quarter of III millennium bc (Fig. a–e).

4 On the south-eastern Iranian seals and their chronological, iconographical and more general discussion seeprincipally Porada and Amiet : ; ; : –, Þg. ; ; .

5 �e alabaster seal from surface is height ,cm with a diameter of ,cm (Fig. d; Salvatori—Vidale : Þg. :; Hakemi : : Xg. a-b; Winkelmann : Þg. ; Ascalone b: Þg. c). �e seal could be dated to a laterperiod.

6 �e Þrst marble cylinder seal (F./) from Shahdad was found in the ‘Main Cemetery’ (Area A), in Grave (,×,cm), from—,cm below the surface: its measures are ,×,cm (Fig. a; Hakemi : , :Ib. ; Amiet : ; : –, Þg. ; : , Þg. : ; : Þg. ; Dyson—Harris : n. ; Collon: , n. ; Winkelmann : Þg. d; : Þg. : ; Ascalone a: Þg. ; b: fug. a; : Þg. c);the second one specimen in chalky stone (F./, now placed in NMI ) measures ,×,cm and it comesfrom Grave (‘Main Cemetery’, Area A) (Fig. b; Hakemi : , : Ib. ; Amiet : ; : , Þg. ;: , Þg. : ; Dyson—Harris : n. ; Winkelmann : Þg. e; : Þg. : ; Ascalone a: Þg. ;b: Þg. b; : Þg. f.); an alabaster cylinder seal (F./ and NMI ) was found in funerary contexts(‘Main Cemetery’, Grave ) and measures ,×,cm (Fig. e; Hakemi : , : Ib. ; Dyson—Harris :n. ; Ascalone a: Þg. ; b: Þg. e; : Þg. e); the fourth seal in limestone, now placed in NMI ,was collected from Grave (‘Main Cemetery’, Area A) and measures ,×,cm (Fig. c; Hakemi : , Obj.n. ; Ascalone a: Þg. ; b: Þg. c; : Þg. b).

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Fig. c: South-eastern Iranian cylinder seal from Shahdad (NMI )

Fig. d: South-eastern Iranian cylinder seal fromShahdad (a�er Salvatore—Vidale : Fig. : )

Fig. e: South-eastern Iranian cylinder seal from Shahdad (NMI )

a new south-eastern iranian glyptic evidence

Fig. a: South-eastern Iranian cylinder seal from Tepe Yahya (NMI )

Fig. b: South-eastern Iranian cylinder seal from Tepe Yahya (NMI )

�e Yahya evidence regarding the cylinder seals presence is linked to the IVB period wheresix on seven ‘trans-elamite’ seals were found (Figs. a–f);7 all the specimens from Yahya are inchlorite/steatite.8

7 TY (from Area B-BW and now placed in NMI ) measures ,×,cm (Fig. d; Lamberg-Karlovsky: Þg. B; : pl. XXVI: c; Dyson—Harris : , n. ; Amiet : Þg. : ; Winkelmann : Þg. :; Pittman : n. ; Ascalone b: Þg. d); TY was found in BW TT– in the north step trench (SecondBuilding Level) and its measures are ,×,cm (Fig. g; Lamberg-Karlovsky : , Þg. ; : pl. XXXI: c;Lamberg-Karlovsky—Tosi : Þg. d; Amiet : Þg. : ; Winkelmann : Þg. : ; Pittman : n. ;Ascalone b: Þg. g; : Þg. d); TY is coming from the ßoor of the ‘Persian Gulf Room’ (Area B-BW...;now in NMI ): its measures are ,×,cm (Fig. b; Lamberg-Karlovsky : , pl. VI e Þg. ; Lamberg-Karlovsky—Tosi : Þg. ; Amiet : ; : , Þg. ; : Þg. : ; : Þg. ; Potts : –,Þg. ; Dyson—Harris : n. ; Winkelmann : f.; : Þg. : ; Pittman : n. ; Ascalone b:Þg. b); TY (NMI ) is ,cm in height and , of diameter (Fig. a; Lamberg-Karlovsky : pl. XXVI: c;Lamberg-Karlovsky—Tosi : , Þg. c; Potts : , Þg. ; Amiet : Þg. : ; : Þg. ; Collon :, n. ; Winkelmann : Þg. b; : Þg. : ; Pittman : n. ; Ascalone b: Þg. a); the seal from Ba�(near Tepe Yahya, now in NMI ) measures ,×,cm (Fig. f; Lamberg-Karlovsky : pl. ; Pittman :n. ; Ascalone b: Þg. f.); TY , coming from BW.. (NMI ), is ,×,cm (Fig. c; Lamberg-Karlovsky: pl. ; Amiet : Þg. : ; : , Þg. ; Winkelmann : Þg. ; Pittman : n. ; Ascalone b:Þg. c; : Þg. c); the last one cylinder seal from Yahya (Fig. e), TY , is coming from B.. (NMI )(Lamberg-Karlovsky : Þg. b; Pittman : n. ; Ascalone b: Þg. e).

8 At the same chronological range could be associated the Yahya cylinder seal representing a human being infront of a palm; strong a�nities are known in a cylinder seal from private collection (cf. with Fig. a) where a deity issitting on his intertwined legs in front of a palm (in primis Amiet : Þg. : ); the style and the iconographicalrepresentation of the horned god have resemblance with the seals showing the twin horned deities without wings,previously dated to the Akkadian period.

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Fig. c: South-eastern Iranian cylinder seal from Tepe Yahya (NMI )

Fig. d: South-eastern Iranian cylinder seal from Tepe Yahya (NMI )

Fig. e: South-eastern Iranian cylinder seal from Tepe Yahya (NMI )

a new south-eastern iranian glyptic evidence

Fig. f: South-eastern Iranian cylinder seal from Tepe Yahya (NMI )

�e Þrst attempts of identifying a development line of so-called ‘trans-elamite’ glyptic art wereborn on the base of the primary glyptic documentation collected in Shahdad and Yahya andon the analysis of the iconographical evidence placed on the surface of the engraved chloritevessels; some seals from private collection or without an archaeological context were related tothe south-eastern region overworking a new point of view on the south-eastern Iranian cul-tural complex (Porada : –, Þgs. –; ; ; ; Amiet : ; ; :–, Þg. ; ; ; Winkelmann ; Ascalone a; ). �e archaeologicalevidences from Jiro� area have opened a new Þeld of research and they have allowed a new inter-pretation on the previously published seals;9 as far as we know, we can identify south-easternIranian origin in the following seals coming from private collection or outside south-eastern Iranian cultural complex:10

– from Louvre Collection (Amiet : Þg. : ; Winkelmann : Þg. : ; Ascalone–: Þg. c; b: Þg. b; : Þg. m) (Fig. a)

– from Louvre Collection (Amiet : Þg. : ; Winkelmann : Þg. : ; Ascalone–: Þg. b; b: Þg. a) (Fig. b)

– from Susa (Legrain : n. ; Amiet : , Þg. ; b: Þg. ; Winkelmann :Þg. g; : Þg. ; Ascalone –: Þg. a; a: Þg. a; b: Þg. c; :Þg. g)11 (Fig. c)

– from Susa (Delaporte : , Pl. : –; Porada : , Þg. ; Amiet : n. ;: , , , Þg. ; Winkelmann : tav. : h; : Þg. ; Ascalone b:Þg. c) (Fig. n)

– from Susa (Ascalone –: Þg. c; a: Þg. c–d; b: Þg. ) (Fig. l)

9 �e unique south-eastern Iranian cylinder seals found outside Iranian sites are known at Gonur depe andTôd (Egypt): in Gonur seal the ‘vegetation deity’ is depicted on a snake moving from le� to right (Sarianidi :Þg. : ) (Fig. k). A Susa seal, dating the end of Early Dynastic III period, seems to be strongly linked to theiconographical and religious aspects of the later south-eastern Iranian experiences (Fig. n; cf. the attitude of thedeities with Shahdad cylinder seal published in Amiet : ; : , Þg. ; : , Þg. : ; Dyson—Harris : n. ; Winkelmann : Þg. e; : Þg. : ; Hakemi : , : Ib. ).

10 For south-eastern Iranian stamp seals see the specimens coming from Tepe Yahya (Lamberg-Karlovsky :Þg. E), Shahdad (Hakemi a: , Þgs. Ia. , ), Tepe Giyan (Contenau—Ghirshman : tav. : ), andKonar Sandal (Madjidzadeh : Þgs. a, g, h and j).

11 For P. Amiet the seal has to be dated to the Puzur-Inshushinak time (Amiet : ).

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– from Tôd (Bisson de la Roque : n. ; a; Landsberger : –; Porada: , Þg. ; Amiet : Þg. : ; : Þg. ; Winkelmann : Þg. : ;Ascalone –: Þg. d; b: Þg. d; : Þg. e) (Fig. d)

– from Bailey Collection (Amiet : , , , Þg. : ; : Þg. ; : , Þg. ;Duchesne-Guillemin : , Þg. ; Winkelmann : Þg. a; : Þg. : ; Ascalone–: Þg. e; b: Þg. g; : Þg. i; Pittman : Þg. .) (Fig. e)

– from Foroughi Collection (Porada : , Þg. ; : Þg. ; : pl. IV; : pl. ;Amiet : , Þg. ; : , Þg. ; : , Þg. : ; : Þg. ; : Þg. ;: Þg. ; Harper—Aruz—Tallon : Þg. ; Winkelmann : Þg. j; : Þg. :; Ascalone b: Þg. h; : Þg. d) (Fig. f)

– from Rosen Collection (Porada : pls. I–III; : –, e pl. ) (Fig. m)– from Rosen Collection (Porada : , e pl. ; Amiet : Þg. ; Winkelmann :

Þg. c; : Þg. : ; Ascalone –: Þg. f.; b: Þg. e; : Þg. h) (Fig. g)– from Ligabue Collection (Winkelmann : Þg. a–c; Ascalone b: Þg. f.; :

Þg. d) (Fig. h)– from Jalalabad (Ascalone –: Þgg. , h; b: Þg. a–b; : Þg. ) (Fig. j)– from Gonur depe (Sarianidi : Þg. : ; Salvatori : Þg. : ; Amiet : , Þg. ;

Ascalone –: Þg. g; b: Þg. ; : Þg. g) (Fig. k)– from Gonur depe (Sarianidi : , Þg. ; Amiet : Þg. ) (Fig. i)

Fig. a: South-eastern Iranian cylinder seal fromLouvre collection (a�er Amiet : Fig. : )

Fig. b: South-eastern Iranian cylinder seal fromLouvre collection (a�er Amiet : Fig. : )

a new south-eastern iranian glyptic evidence

Fig. c: South-eastern Iranian cylinder seal from Susa (a�er Legrain : n. )

Fig. d: South-eastern Iranian cylinder seal from Tôd (a�er Amiet : Fig. : )

Fig. e: South-eastern Iranian cylinder seal fromBailey collection (a�er Amiet : Fig. : )

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Fig. f.: South-eastern Iranian cylinder seal fromForoughi collection (a�er Amiet : Fig. : )

Fig. g: South-eastern Iranian cylinder seal from Rosen collection (a�er Porada : pl. )

Fig. h: South-eastern Iranian cylinder seal fromLigabue collection (a�er Winkelmann : Fig. a)

a new south-eastern iranian glyptic evidence

Fig. i: South-eastern Iranian cylinder seal from Gonur depe (a�er Amiet : Fig. )

Fig. j: South-eastern Iranian cylinder seal from Jalalabad (NMI )

Fig. k: South-eastern Iranian cylinder seal from Gonur depe (a�er Salvatori : Fig. : )

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Fig. l: South-eastern Iranian cylinder seal from Susa (NMI /)

Fig. m: South-eastern Iranian cylinder seal from Rosen collection (Porada : pl. I)

Fig. n: South-eastern Iranian cylinder seal fromSusa (a�er Delaporte : and Pl. : –)

a new south-eastern iranian glyptic evidence

Fig. : South-eastern Iranian cylinder seal from Jalalabad (NMI )

. Jalalabad Cylinder Seal

A new evidence of south-eastern Iranian glyptic art is a limestone seal now placed in the BastanArchaeological National Museum of Tehran (NMI ) (Fig. ).12 �e measures of the cylinderseal are ,cm in height and ,cm of diameter; the specimen was found at Jalalabad in the Farsregion but it has not a certain archaeological context; however the iconographical representa-tion and the stylistic details seem to be linked to the south-eastern cultural traditions.13 �eseal represents, in the upper part, a Þgure with her head in proÞle and body facing frontwardwith a pair of large, curving wings; breast are indicated by a pair of small circles on triangu-larized torso; a long, rectangular lozenge, decorated with chevrons, is situated just below thetorso and may represent the clothed legs of the Þgure, as if it was sitting cross-legged. �e hairappears to be long and ßowing without a crown as known in the other south-eastern Iranianseals. �e presumably female divinity is ßanked by two Þgures knelled down represented inproÞle; both seem to o�er something to the winged personage. �e le� Þgure seems to havea spherical element in the hands, while the right Þgure is depicted with his/her arm reachedto o�er an incomprehensible vegetable element or a star placed on a vertical support (cf. withFigs. a and h). Only one Þgure, on the le�, has the typical hairstyle well-attested in other sealsfrom Tepe Yahya, Shahdad and private collections. In the lower part of seal is depicted a rowof quadrupeds, one of them with wings probably representing a fantastic creature or dragon asknown on the cylinder seal of Rosen collection (for bibliography see above).

12 I am especially grateful to Dr. Mohamad Reza Kargar and Mohammed Reza Mehrandish (Directors of theNational Museum of Iran) who entrusted the study of the III millennium cylinder seals of the Museum to me (now allcollected in my Ph.D. thesis). I would like express my thanks to Dr. Ciaici (vice-director) and Dr. Ja�ar Mohammadi(Director of the Treasure of the Bastan Museum) for their help and logistic assistance; I am very grateful to MrsAskari (Director of the Department of Seal and Coin) and his sta� (in particular Mrs Akram Rezaee, RoghaiyehChenary, Zainab Gavidol and Neda Amighi) for their kind availability and patience.

13 A seal with a south-eastern Iranian iconographical elements, pseudo-harappan inscription and Central Asiamorphology has been found on the surface of the same site of Jalalabad (site number ) in Paul Gotch’s surveycarried out in the Persepolis plain (Ascalone ).