The beginnings of Elam and its geographical setting:
the core area of the civilization was southern Iran, stretching from Mesopotamia to the edge of the Makran coast, with corridors of contact stretching out across the Iranian plateau, towards central Asia, to the vicinity of the Oxus and the Hindu Kush passes into the Indus plains.
the core area of the civilization was southern Iran, stretching from Mesopotamia to the edge of the Makran coast, with corridors of contact stretching out across the Iranian plateau, towards central Asia, to the vicinity of the Oxus and the Hindu Kush passes into the Indus plains.
The demographic core of Elam was in the Khuzestan plains to the east of the Sumerian heartland (southern Mesopotamia), centred on the capital city of Susa/Susiana was located.
The first settlement of Susiana dates to 5000 BC, and it remained inhabited till the Islamic period.
(The Khuzestan setting seems very similar to the Kacchi plains region of the Indus Valley, the oldest settlement zone of the region, where Mehrgarh is located; it seems being slightly away from the flooding prone river plains, but near enough to resource rich mountains was the ideal setting for the second phase of the post-Holocene settlements, circa 5000 BC, also the time period during which Mehrgarh was settled.)
The first settlement of Susiana dates to 5000 BC, and it remained inhabited till the Islamic period.
(The Khuzestan setting seems very similar to the Kacchi plains region of the Indus Valley, the oldest settlement zone of the region, where Mehrgarh is located; it seems being slightly away from the flooding prone river plains, but near enough to resource rich mountains was the ideal setting for the second phase of the post-Holocene settlements, circa 5000 BC, also the time period during which Mehrgarh was settled.)
The second core city of Elam was Anshan, located near the Kur River Basin;
The larger Elamite realm had numerous subkingdoms, centred on key cities; Anshan was one of them; Cambyses I, the father of Cyrus βthe Greatβ was the King of Anshan in the 7th century BC, showing its importance through time.
The larger Elamite realm had numerous subkingdoms, centred on key cities; Anshan was one of them; Cambyses I, the father of Cyrus βthe Greatβ was the King of Anshan in the 7th century BC, showing its importance through time.
The Kur River Basin, where Anshan was located, shows evidence of human settlement from the late seventh millennium BC.
Despite controlling a glamorously ancient city such as Babylon, Cyrus gave tremendous importance to Anshan, making this one of his primary titles, showing that he wanted to be associated with the legacy of this ancient land.
On becoming Emperor, Cyrus built his new capital of Pasargade in the region of Anshan; this is where his tomb is located.
Returning to the Elamite civilization, one of the most incredible things is how widespread its influence was across the Iranian plateau. The wealth of the Elamites was, in fact, derived from this rugged, metal-rich environment. Many Elamite settlements were built in mountain passes, close to metal deposits.
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