Haft Tepe (also Haft Tape) is an archaeological site situated in the Khuzestan Province in south-western Iran, about 15 kilometers southwest of the ancient city of Susa. At this site the possible remains of the Elamite city of Kabnak were discovered in 1908, and excavations are still carried out.
The city of Kabnak is mentioned as an important political centre during the reign of the Elamite king Tepti-Ahar, the last king of the Kidinuid dynasty ruling in the 15th century BC. He may also have been buried in the city. Another ruler known from two seals found in a grave at Haft Tepe was Inshushinak-sarru-(rabu)-ilani.[1] After the death of Tepti-Ahar the center of power returned to the old capital Susa, although there is no clear evidence that Kabnak ever held real power at all. Due to the turmoil of this era it is possible the construction of Kabnak was necessary after Tepti-Ahar lost control over Susa, however this theory has not been completely confirmed by solid proof.[2] Some centuries later another city was built at the nearby site of Choqa Zanbil.
Elamite burial container in Heft Tepe museum
Excavations at Haft Tepe revealed a large funerary complex founded by Tepti-Ahar where the god Kirwashir (Kirmasir) was worshiped. It had two large mud-brick platforms, a workshop area and a probable palace. Beneath a large rectangular courtyard lay a subterranean funerary complex intended for the king and his family.[3] The two tombs, including that of the king, featured an oval vaulted roof, built of baked brick with gypsum mortar. The tomb of Tepti-Ahar measured 10 meters in length, 3.25 meters in width, and 3.75 meters in height.[4] Skeletal remains were found in the tomb, though it is not certain they belong to royalty.[5][6]
Another large structure found at the site was perhaps the foundations of a ziggurat, along with courtyards and suites of rooms. The funerary complex was decorated with bronze plates and wall paintings.[7] Several examples of terracotta sarcophagi generally called "bathtub coffins" were found.[8] Also found were several large stone stele one of which, written in contemporary Babylonian, detailed the funerary rites and duties including sacrifices to be made before the chariot of the god and of Tepti-Ahar.[9] Administrative texts belonging to the reign of Tepti-Ahar were also found at the site.[10]
Royal Tomb at Haft Tepe
The site is around 1.5km by 800 meters made up of 14 mounds with the highest being 17 meters high.
[11]
Haft Tepe was first surveyed by the French archaeologist Jacques de Morgan in 1908. The site was excavated in the period from 1965 to 1979 by a team from the Institute of Archaeology of the University of Tehran, led by the Iranian archaeologist Ezzat Negahban.[12][13][14] A legal document was found sealed with a cylinder seal, unusual at that time:
"Išme-karāb, king of the city of Susa, hated the utukku demon and to the city of Susa, when out of his doors he caused (him) to leave, he gave a seal, to which he afterwards gave power. He or his adversary in court, should they contest the agreement again, the kidinnu of Napiriša and Inšušinak has been touched upon. And he who shall alter this seal(ed tablet), may he go away upon the command of Napiriša and Inšušinak. The sceptre of Išme-karāb may it be put upon his head.[15]
Ceramic funeral sculpture from Iran, Elamite, c. 1750 BC. From Haft Tepe
Since 2003 excavations have been carried out by a team of German-Iranian archaeologists, including the University of Mainz, University of Kiel and the Iranian Cultural Heritage Organization, headed by Behzad Mofidi in ten seasons through 2013.[16][17][18][19]
In the 2006 season a number of cuneiform administrative tablets were recovered and have now been published. They are primarily inventories.[20] One tablet is sealed with the royal seal of Tepti-ahar, king of Susa, and has a year name of "the year in which the (local) king repulsed/expelled Kadašman-dkur.gal". Speculation on who this refers to has ranged from Kassite ruler Kadashman-Enlil II or Kadashman-Harbe I to even some local Kassite ruler not part of the Kassite dynasty.[21][22]
Ceramics from Iran - finds from Haft tepe (Tappe Haftawan), Urmia Ware, c. 1750 BC
When French archaeologists were working at Susa workmen turned in objects they had found. Some are not thought to have come from Haft Tepe including a brick reading:
". Tepti-ahar, king of Susa [made? ] a statue of himself and of his servant girls to whom he is gracious, and interceding female figures who would intercede for him and for his servant girls to whom he is gracious; he built a house of baked bricks and gave it to his lord Inšušinak. May Inšušinak show him favor as long as he lives. When night falls, four women of the guardians of the house .... they must not act in concert to peel off the gold; their garments should be fastened with strings; they should come in and sleep at the feet of the lamassu- and karibu-figures; they should ...."[23]
Carter, Elizabeth, "Landscapes of Death in Susiana During the Last Half of the 2nd Millennium B.C.", Elam and Persia, edited by Javier Álvarez-Mon and Mark B. Garrison, University Park, USA: Penn State University Press, pp. 45-58, 2011
Negahban, E.O., "Architecture of Haft Tepe", Akten des VII. Internationalen Kongresses für Iranische Kunst und Archeologie, Archaologische Mitteilungen aus Iran 6, pp. 9-28, 1979
Negahbaran, Ezat O. 1994 The Artist's Workshop of Haft Tepe. Pp. 31–41 in Cinquante-deux reflexions sur le proche-orient ancien. Offertes en hommage à Léon De Meyer,ed. H. Gasche, M. Tan-ret, C. Janssen & A. Degraeve. Mesopotamian History and Environment, Occasional Publications II. Genth: University of Genth
Katrien De Graef., "The Seal of an Official or an Official Seal? The Use of Court Seals in Old Babylonian Susa and Haft Tepe", Journal of the American Oriental Society, vol. 138, no. 1, pp. 121–42, 2018
B. Mofidi-Nasrabadi, Archäologische Untersuchungen in Haft Tape (Iran), Archäologische Mitteilungen aus Iran und Turan, vol. 35-36, pp. 225-239, 2003-04
Behzad Mofidi-Nasrabadi, Vorbericht der archäologischen Ausgrabungen der Kampagnen 2005-2007 in Haft Tappeh (Iran), Verlag, 2010, ISBN978-3-89688-418-3
Mofidi-Nasrabadi, B, Vorbericht der archäologischen Untersuchungen in den Kampagnen 2008, 2009 und 2010 in Haft Tappeh (Iran), Elamica, vol. 2, pp. 55-159, 2012
Prechel, D., Die Tontafeln aus Haft Tappeh 2005-2007, in: B. Mofidi-Nasrabadi, Vorbericht der archäologischen Ausgrabungen der Kampagnen 2005-2007 in Haft Tappeh (Iran), Münster, pp. 51-57, 2010
Roaf, Michael. "Kassite and Elamite Kings", Volume 1 Karduniaš. Babylonia under the Kassites 1, edited by Alexa Bartelmus and Katja Sternitzke, Berlin, Boston: De Gruyter, pp. 166-195, 2017
E. Reiner, "Inscription from a Royal Elamite Tomb", Archiv für Orientforschung, vol. 24, pp. 87–102, 1973
Amiet, Pierre, "Observations sur les sceaux de haft-tepe (Kabnak)", Revue d’Assyriologie et d’archéologie Orientale, vol. 90, no. 2, pp. 135–43, 1996
Álvarez-Mon, Javier, and Yasmina Wicks, "Elamite war chariots and military equipment at ancient Kabnak (ca. 1400 BCE)", Journal of Cuneiform Studies 73.1, pp. 121-134, 2021
Beckman, G., "A stray tablet from Haft Tépé", IrAnt 26, pp. 81–83, 1991
Daneshmand, Parsa, "An Extispicy Text from Haft-Tappe", Journal of Cuneiform Studies, vol. 56, pp. 13–17, 2004
Glassner, J. J., "Les textes de Haft Tépé, la Susiane et l’Élam au II millénaire", pp. 109–126 in Mesopotamie et Elam,ed. L. De Meyer & H. Gasche. Mesopotamian History and Environment, Occasional Publications I. Genth: University of Genth, 1991
P. Herrero and J. J Glassner, "Haft-Tépé: Choix de textes I", Iranica Antiqua, vol. 25, pp. 1–45, 1990
P. Herrero and J. J Glassner, "Haft-Tépé: Choix de textes II", Iranica Antiqua, vol. 26, pp. 39–80, 1991
P. Herrero and J. J Glassner, "Haft-Tépé: Choix de textes III", Iranica Antiqua, vol. 28, pp. 97–135, 1993
P. Herrero and J. J Glassner, "Haft-Tépé: Choix de textes IV", Iranica Antiqua, vol. 31, pp. 51–82, 1996
Mofidi-Nasrabadi, Behzad, "Ergebnisse der C14-Datierung der Proben aus Haft Tappeh", Elamica 5, pp. 7-36, 2015
Mofidi-Nasrabadi, Behzad, "Some chronological aspects of the building structures at Haft Tappeh", Susa and Elam. Archaeological, Philological, Historical and Geographical Perspectives. Brill, pp. 161-172, 2013
Izzat Allāh Nigāhbān, "Excavations at Haft Tepe", Iran, University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology, 1991, ISBN0-934718-89-X
Oudbashi, Omid, and S. Mohammadamin Emami, "A Note on the Corrosion Morphology of Some Middle Elamite Copper Alloy Artefacts from Haft Tappeh, South-West Iran", Studies in Conservation, vol. 55, no. 1, pp. 20–25, 2010
Rafiei-Alavi, Babak, Faranak Bahrololoumi, and Sabine Klein, "Three Women from Elam: A Revision of the Haft Tappeh Metal Plaque", Bulletin of the American Society of Overseas Research 387.1, pp. 171-180, 2022
Tamm, Alexandr, "Pie Crust rattles of the Ancient Near East with a focus on the find from Haft Tappeh (Iran)", Elamica 3, pp. 133-170, 2013
Mofidi Nasrabadi, B, "Chronological order of the Elamite pottery from Haft Tappeh", Elamica 6, pp. 97-118, 2016
