Home

Dur Untash (Untash City) :

This 100 hectares city was formed during the Mid-Elamitee era (2800-650 BC) , 35 Km southeast of Shush. Untash Napirasha the fifth king of Anzan Kings built this holly city on the western shore of Dez River , between Shush and Shushtar . The names of cities with a surrounding wall all started with the prefix "Dur".


Ziggurat :
The most important of the temples was Ziggurat located in the center of Dur Untash . The temple was devoted to Inshushinak and Napirasha ( the Elamite Gods) , surrounded by three concentric Walls. Ghirhman belived that , Ziggurat originally was a five-story monument and the heights of the levels from top to bottom were as follows :
The fifth floor 52.6 m or the height of the temple
The fourth floor 44 m
The thired floor 32 m
The second floor 20 m
The first floor 8 m

Geographical Directions :
Elamites carefully Heeded to the geographical directions to make best use of sunshine in winters, and wind and shadow in summers. Ziggurat's amazing rainwater draunage system is another factor causing the structure to last through centuries.
The UNRSCO registered Ziggurat in the World Heritage Index in 1979.

Materials used in Construction of Ziggurat:
Use of regular and armored adobes, glazed bricks , tar and plaster was obvious in structure of the temple.

The Dur Untash Aqua-Structure :
There was an aqua-structure, discovered by the city notrhwestern surrounding wall. Archeologists have dug out a consideable portion of this structure . There is no consensus , over whether the structure was a water purification plant or it was a mere draunage facility for the city sewerage system.

Roles of Animals in the Ancient Times :
As seen on the inscriptions found in perspolis , figures of animals were used for security of important structure. Snakes were also another means of maintaining security against demons in the Elamite culture.

The end of Du Untash :
Dur Untash city was destroyed in the battle of Ashour Banipal . in the time of the bloody king Ashour . they found a diary in which he wrote: " I won iver and owned 14 cities , including some suburb on areas in Ilam. I destoryed their houses , I burnt everything down and turned them to dust."
In the time where the great kings of Iran tired to establish their successes and forgiveness in their writings so they could be proud , this king was proud of his horrible crimes that he had done over the course of histime of kingdom.
This city was residential for hundreds of years after that battle , but it did have the same livelyhood anymore.
At the end everyone evantually left the city, there for the memory of it was forgotten.
 

A.Remained bulding (sites) and the inside fence :
1 - southern gate
2 – south eastern gate (kingdome gate)
3 – eastern gate
4 – north eastern gate
5 – Norther gate
6 – gal temple (Napirasha)
7 – Kirirish temple
8 – Ishny Kerb temple
9 – Western gate
10 – 3 Praying rooms

B. Remained sites in the middle fence :
11 – south eastern squared temple
12 – western squared temple
13 – Residential houses
14 – Hishmitic and Rahouratir
15 – Nepertep
16 – Shimoot went Ally-Peynikir
17 – south western gate (shush gate)
18 – northeastern gate
19 – Noor Kiprat tower
20 – south eastern gate ( kingdom trespassing)

C. Remained sites in the outer fence:
21 – Reserved water refinery
22 – the holy place of NOSKO
23 – Castle-underground holy grave
24 – 2 castles
25 – Kingdom or justice gate

The writing translation on Dur Untash temple :
I , Untash napiresh , built this holy place with golden , silver , green and black bricks , then I gave them to Napirasha and Inshoushinak the gods of this holy place as a gift. Whoever destroys this place or its bricks , whoever steels the golden / silver , green and black coloured bricks , and takes them to another land shall be scared and frightened for the Gods of this place , Napirasha. Inshoushinak and kirirish will curse them and their ancestors , and underneath the sun they shall be destroyed.


Haft Tappeh (Kapnak) :
The city of Haft-Tappeh is located in the most fertile lands of Khuzestan step between Karkheh and Dez Rivers, about 100 Km north of Ahvaz. The archeological sites of this city include 14 hills spread in an area of 1.5 by 1 Km . Archeological excavations in Haft Tappeh, directed by Dr.Ezzatollah Negahban in 13 years (1965-1978) suggest that during the reign of "Tepti-Ahar" (1505-1350 BCE) there was a main center of Elamite civilization there
 As Shush became less pivotal in the 15th and 14th centuries BC , Haft-Tappeh began to grow and its area exceeded 30 hectares, but by the time of glory of Durantash city , Haft-Tappeh's centrality had again faded.

The Historical Architecture of Haft-Tappeh :
Discoveries found in Haft-Tappeh include : A shrine with its related tomb and other structural units which are evidences of existence of a stabilized political and economical power.
The use of arcs in the roofs two centuries prior to that of Dur-Untash was the masterpiece of the Elamite architects must have known the complexity of the resistances of building materials to have accomplished such measures .
The Elamite architescts used baked adobes to protect buildings against Khuzestan' s heavy precipitations. Natural tar and a mixture of mortar and plaster between the Brickes, made the structures more resistant and stable.

There was split stove discovered which is said to have been used in heating pottery and metals. Professor Schubert from the University of Munich stated that the mortar used in relics of Haft Tappeh is stronger than that of Pyramids in Egypt.


The Tablests and Inscriptions of Haft Tappeh :
The stone inscriptions and clay tablets in excavations of Haft Tappeh enabled archeologists to decide the thoughts, rituals, lifestyles and political and social systems of societies of those eras. It is also comprehended that, besides Elamite, use of other forms of alphabets, such as Babylonian and Akkadian were common in those times. There were also recitations of " Tepti_Ahar" the Elamite King and " Kapnak" the historical name of Haft Tappeh in those discoveries.

Stamps :
Use of numerous flat and hemispherical stamps was also apparent in the above discoveries. There were designs of standing men, fictional creators and gods seen on those stamps , which suggest the transcendence of the old Haft Tappeh over Shush.

The Museum of Haft Tappeh :
In 1970, this museum inspired by the local architectural styles suitable to the climate, was designed and built in Haft Tappeh in order to display the discovered objects to public.