A Study on the Iron and Blacksmithing in Ancient Elam based on Archaeological Evidence and Written Cuneiform Documents

The beginning of iron using in construction of metal objects has always been one of the important topics in the archeology of Ancient Near East in late second millennium and the early first millennium B.C. In Iran, researching on this issue is not homogeneous for different regions and Ancient Elam is one of the regions that have received less attention. The city of Susa, one of the important centers of Elam, has played a prominent role in production of metal artifacts and transit of various metals to Mesopotamia, based on the material data and cuneiform sources. However, in various conducted researches, either this issue has been ignored or has not been studied independently with considering both types of material evidence and cuneiform texts; Therefore, in present study, an attempt has been made to get a general overview of the progress of iron using and making iron objects in Elam and the role of both material and textual sources in this issue by studying archeological records, cuneiform texts and researches conducted on both types of sources. The results of this research show that using iron in Elam in second millennium B.C and early first millennium B.C was very limited and it is only from the beginning of the Neo Elamite II period that we see its prevalence. The current research also points out that cuneiform documents, despite some limitations, can be used as supplement to cultural materials as they provide us the oldest evidence of an iron object in ancient Elam. In the interim, the administrative texts related to the late Neo Elamite from Susa (MDP 9) have special importance because they mention issues such as existence of blacksmith workshops and also the manufacture and delivery of various iron objects in Susa and its suburbs. Moreover, the comparison of the information obtained from both types of evidence about iron will clarify the shortcomings and capabilities of the material and textual sources.