Traces of Neo-Elamite Presence in the Persian Gulf: A Preliminary Approach

Gorris, Elynn [UCL]

Although Elam was one of the long-standing kingdoms along the Persian Gulf in antiquity, the evidence on the Elamite involvement in Persian Gulf trade is surprisingly limited. Since most of the Elamite regions (Susiana, Shushtar, Ram Hormuz, Behbahan) were connected through several navigable rivers with the Persian Gulf, Elamites must have profited from this prosperous geographical location. During the Neo-Elamite period (c. 1000-520 BC), the head of the Persian Gulf was the subject of continuous military confrontations between the Elamites and the Neo-Assyrian Empire, indicating its commercial importance. Since direct evidence for Neo-Elamite maritime trading network is absent, cuneiform records (Elamite, Akkadian) do give a glimpse on imported commodities and oversee routes. This paper will therefore explore the Neo-Elamite presence in the Persian Gulf and its possible involvement in this maritime commercial network.