Posted on 11/29/2004 12:26:38 PM PST by blam
Date Added:Nov 24 2004
Inscribed Bricks Unearthed South of Iran
Iran-11/23/2004
In the latest round of archeological excavations at the historical site of Enshan, Fars province, Iranian and American archeologists have unearthed several inscribed bricks and a seal dating back to the mid-Elamite era (1100 BC).Enshan is regarded as one of the capitals of the Elamites and is rich in cultural heritage artifacts ranging from the Elamite to the Achamenid era (3500 BC to 500 AD).
Dr. Kamyar Abdi, an instructor of Dartmouth College in the United States told Cultural Heritage News (CHN) agency that in the course of excavations in the past several weeks, his team unearthed six bricks dating back to 3,000 years bearing inscriptions identical with those from the Elamite era.
He said that the bricks are baked and studies on them will reveal useful information about the mid-Elamite era which is of special significance in archeological studies.
Abdi said that the bricks will be handed over to the experts of inscriptions for deciphering. Meanwhile, American explorations have so far led to the discovery of 25 bricks bearing inscriptions whose translation indicated that Melian historical mound is the same place as Enshan historical city.
The third round of excavation at Enshan historical city was carried out by 20 experts which included two American archeologists from Michigan University and Dartmouth College.
Specialists from Iran's Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization (ICHTO) from Tehran, Abhar and Marvdasht are accompanying them.
In addition to the bricks, one clay seal was also unearthed.
Abdi said that portrait of a human being has been inscribed on the seal. Studies will be carried out to identify the date of the seal. Melian historical site or Enshan historical city is located at Beiza district of Sepidan in Fars province. Its area is 200 hectares.
"Well, that's what it says!"
Translation: Pork... the other white meat.
Elton is supposedly livid.
Elamites are mentioned in Acts 2.9. There is also a Chedorlaomer king of Elam in Genesis 14.
Beward of Eagles and a bright flash of sunlight.
Which brings up the interesting question, if something is dated at the time it is created, how do we figure out when it was?
Our system is based on a historic event; it is reasonable to assume that others may be, as well as on cycles of astronomical observations.
Like I said, interesting...
What's going to happen when later societies find our ceramic frogs with the keys in them?
Sounds like a rippng doctoral thesis for some future rock-duster!
Generally they're authentic if the original craftsman including "1100 BC" right in the text.
[joke alert! joke alert!]
There are different radioactive dating (not radiocarbon) methods which might work, but they probably estimated the age based on the other material in the strata. If an archive of Elam is turned up, it could be HUGE, particularly if the Anshan king list survives. What is known of the Elamite succession and various city-states comes from the Babylonian Chronicle and the Synchronistic Chronicle, plus some references in other surviving records.
My guess is that Anshan's archives were systematically destroyed on the site in ancient times, or less possibly carried back to Mesopotamia, exploited for info, then destroyed, or still less possibly were carried off to the Persian capital -- the Persians were the successors to the Elamites.
[from my hard drive, may be a dead link]
http://maxpages.com/anshan
Anshan (Anzan) [Tepe Malyan]
*Anshan (Anzan) [Tepe Malyan] (EB Article)
Also spelled Anzan, city and territory of ancient Elam, north of modern Shiraz, southwestern Iran. The city's ruins, covering 350 acres, have yielded major archaeological finds, including examples of early Elamite writing. Anshan came to prominence about 2350 BC as an enemy of the Mesopotamian dynasty of Akkad. Its greatest period, however, was during the 13th and 12th centuries BC, when, as "kings of Anshan and Susa," Elamite rulers periodically raided Babylonian cities. About 675 the country apparently came to be controlled by Achaemenian Persians, who bore the title "kings of Anshan" down to the accession of Darius I in 522 BC. (EO)
......The low mounds of Malyan cover nearly 200 hectares (500 hectares) in the Fars Province 46 kilometers north of Shiraz and 43 kilometers west of Persepolis.
The term "Middle Elamite Empire" refers to the state formed in southern Iran between circa 1300 and circa 1100 BC by a series of rulers whose inscriptions entitle them "Kings of Anshan and Susa". In their reigns, Elam competed for power with contemporary states in Assyria and Babylonia, and achieved the greatest political and military success of its long history.
JOURNAL Article: "Middle Elamite Malyan" Elizabeth Carter and Matthew Stolper Expedition (University of Pennsylvania Museum) Volume 18 Number 2 (1976) Pages 33-42
Chedorlaomer, the Elamite king who dominated Mesopotamia in the time of Abraham (but who appears to have lost control or his life fighting the battle with the kings of the Cities of the Plain, has a name which I've read is a transliteration of the Elamite original, Kudur-Laghamar 'Servant of Laghamar', Laghamar being an Elamite deity.
Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on, off, or alter the "Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list --
Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.
The GGG Digest -- Gods, Graves, Glyphs (alpha order)
Translation: Taxes due: 10 camels and 30 jars of olive oil.
Wait a second. I thought when the Coalition overthrew Saddam, they placed Iraq's rich collection of ancient artifacts, arhceological sites, libraries, museums in extreme peril. But what this article suggests is that the Coalition allowed Iraq's past to open up to the world.
Never see the MSM or univeristy elitists allow Bush the satisfaction. Bet you 100:1 the archeological dig at Babylon, Ur, Nimrud, and Nineveh will explode in discoveries and information now that peace and civility have returned to Mesopotamia.
Translation: I pledge 5 sheep and 20 pieces of gold for your firstborn daughter.
:') This dig is in Iran, not Iraq.
The excavation at Nimrud in Iraq has continued, if memory serves, for years, other than during the Gulf War, and of course, until the recent liberation.
In the second year of Our Great King, the rains came, the rivers rose and once again the floodwaters covered our cursed land.
In the third year....
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