Mountain Protector in Delfan, Northern Luristan

Authors

1 PhD. in Archeology, Department of Archeology, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

2 PhD. in Archeology, Lecturer at the Department of Urban Planning, Faculty of Art and Architecture, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran (Corresponding Author).

3 Professor, Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

4 Associate Professor, Department of Archaeology, Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Tourism (RICHT), Tehran, Iran.

10.22084/nb.2023.26194.2478

Abstract

Abstract
Elam is recognized as a key topic for researchers exploring its cultural and political role in the Ancient Near East, a historical period characterized by both triumphs and challenges. The cultural artifacts from this time have been extensively cataloged through archaeological investigations. Among these artifacts, seals are particularly important as they provide researchers with a detailed understanding of the cultural events of the era. Moreover, inscription stamps reveal information about their owners, including their identities and professions. Through their artistic representations, cylinder seals illuminate various facets of ancient cultures, including clothes and fashions, building techniques and decoration, weaponry and furnishings, agricultural methods and accoutrements, as well as ritual actions and ceremonies, such as royal hunts, banquets and worship/presentation scenes. A 2019 examination of a collection from the National Museum of Iran, which featured 50 Elamite cylinder seals from the Old and Middle Elam eras, led to the identification of an inscribed seal which had been recovered from Delfan. Although this seal had been previously reviewed by Ascalone, its inscription had not been translated until now, revealing the names of two individuals associated with the seal. It is likely that these figures were well-regarded scribes. Although the specific location of the seal is unknown, the inscription and its references in other texts can provide us with substantial information. This paper will investigate the seal’s stylistic features and form, analyze the text, and determine its date. Based on that, this seal is associated with an individual named Šadu-nasir from the ancient Elam period, which not only illustrates the impact of Elamite culture in this region (Delfan) but also offers crucial insights into the relationships between Khuzestan and the Central Zagros in the early second millennium BC. This research will address the identity of Šadu-nasir and the reasons for the presence of his seal in Delfan.
Keywords: National Museum of Iran, Cylinder Seal, Delfan, Šadu-nasir, Ili-unneni.
 
Introduction
Moorey describes cylinder seals as “the most distinctive artefact created by the Sumerians”. Indeed, cylinder seals are often found in the excavations of Mesopotamian sites and other areas of the Ancient Near East for close to three millennia and form a group of diagnostic artefacts within the region’s material culture. Cylinder seals are generally valuable artefacts, as trends, social movements, and changes can be traced in their study. Much of our understanding of Mesopotamian iconography, imagery of the gods and mythology comes from glyptic studies, and the images found on seals further provide an insight into every day, quotidian life that is unparalleled elsewhere. Cylinder seals, through their depictions, provide insights into clothes and fashions, building techniques and decoration, weaponry and furnishings, agricultural methods and accoutrements, as well as ritual actions and ceremonies, such as royal hunts, banquets and worship/presentation scenes.
In addition, cylinder seals, particularly those that feature the name of a ruler or prominent figure, can offer significant insights for dating. Nonetheless, relying on seals and sealings for dating is fraught with challenges and requires a cautious approach. Seals and sealings also provide information concerning the society’s administration and control mechanisms and testify to trade and social contacts both within a single community and between communities. However, either by deliberate design or dearth of information, most past glyptic studies have tended to focus primarily on Mesopotamian1 examples. Indeed, a plethora of studies has been devoted to the cylinder seals of Mesopotamia. Further investigations have addressed the glyptic materials of Mesopotamia, examining aspects such as their functions, production methods, and the origins of their materials. Readers seeking more information referred to the works of Collon; moreover, Moorey provides an insightful introduction to the materials and techniques involved in the creation of Mesopotamian seals, while the various contributions of Porada lay a solid groundwork for a more art historical examination of glyptic studies. Matthews offers a recent and credible introduction to contemporary glyptic research. Finally, the studies by Ferioli, Fiandra, and Zettler are essential for understanding the modern utilization of glyptic materials as sources of functional data rather than solely as artistic creations. Cylinder seals are often used as evidence for changing patterns of a society’s ethnic, social or cultural structure. The presence of a particular glyptic style, along with certain image types or methods of depiction, can illustrate the introduction of individuals or, more accurately, the influence or contact with other groups. Thus, the evident rise in Mesopotamian glyptic artifacts at Susa during the early third millennium BC indicates a more substantial Mesopotamian cultural influence in that area.
 
Conclusion 
Based on stylistic analysis, comparison, and typology, the relative chronology of the Šadu-Nasir cylinder seal can be assigned to approximately 1650–1550 BCE. This dating aligns with the period indicated by texts from Susa that mention the name Šadu-Nasir. If Šadu-Nasir referenced by the Delfan seal is indeed the same individual as the one named in the Susa texts, then this seal belonged to a trusted scribe and witness named Šadu-Nasir, whose name appears in the documents from Susa. His father, Ili-Unneni, was also a reliable scribe, and it is likely that he is not the same individual as the Ili-Unneni mentioned in the Manana texts, as those documents date to the early 20th century BCE.
Šadu-Nasir and Ili-Unneni were contemporaries during the reigns of Kuk-Našur II and Kuduzuluš II, with the seal itself also originating from this era. The dual role of Šadu-Nasir as both scribe and witness suggest a notable social standing. Given that personal belongings were generally interred with the deceased, and considering that the Šadu-Nasir seal, akin to other Luristan cylinder seals, was likely found in a burial setting, it is plausible that Šadu-Nasir’s tomb is in Delfan. Nevertheless, the finding of a seal within a funerary context may prompt specific considerations.
Assuming that Šadu-Nasir’s burial site is indeed in Delfan, a number of questions arise: Was he a native of the Delfan region? What were the reasons for his interment there, or what led him to Delfan? Given the name Šadu-Nasir and the fact that his father was active in Susa, it seems unlikely that he originated from Delfan. Moreover, as previously indicated, the style of the Šadu-Nasir seal is distinct from the local Luristan style, which was produced for the inhabitants of the Zagros mountains. This further substantiates the argument that Šadu-Nasir was not a local resident of Delfan.
Considering the influence of the Sukkalmah dynasty in the Zagros and the long-standing cultural and economic connections between Khuzestan and the central Zagros, it is not surprising to find individuals from Susa present in this region. As mentioned above, Šadu-Nasir ’s profession was that of a scribe, and in the Susa texts, he is recorded as a scribe and witness in property registrations. This occupation appears to have been hereditary, as his father and likely his grandfather were also reputable scribes (with Ili-Unnini described as a distinguished scribe).
It is plausible that Šadu-Nasir traveled to Delfan for the purpose of registering property and, for unknown reasons, died there, with his body and seal interred in Delfan. Centuries later, because of processes such as erosion or illicit excavations, the Šadu-Nasir seal was discovered and eventually brought to the National Museum of Iran. This artifact has thus become the subject of historical and archaeological research, and after 3,700 years, the names of Šadu-Nasir and his father, along with their possible life stories, are once again the focus of scholarly investigation and are mentioned in this article.
This narrative highlights the complexity of Elamite social structure, the mobility of officials, and the enduring connections between Elamite administrative centers and the broader Zagros region, as reflected in both art histories and archaeological record.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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Archaeological Research of Iran
Volume 15, Issue 44
2025
Pages 75-98

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