Elam Religion

Elam was an ancient civilization centered in the far west and southwest of modern-day Iran. Elamite states were among the leading political forces of the Ancient Near East. In classical literature, Elam was also called Susiana, a name derived from its capital city of Susa. Knowledge of Elamite history remains fragmentary, but has been reconstructed based on Sumerian, Akkadian, Assyrian, and Babylonian sources. Gold and silver figurines excavated from Susa depict Elamite worshippers carrying a sacrificial goat and were created to assure the king of the enduring protection of the gods, his well-being, and of long life. The Elamites practised polytheism. Inscriptions of Elamite kings indicate that a concept of a supreme triad consisting of Inshushinak (originally protector god of Susa, later chief of the triad and sustainer of the monarchy), Kiririsha (an earth/mother goddess of southern Elam), and Napirisha (an anthropomorphic deity, often depicted with a snake figure that symbolizes the primordial waters he ruled over) existed. In the Neo-Elamite period Humban, previously a deity of limited significance, was transformed into a divine source of royal power. Another significant deity was Pinikir, an astral goddess of love (and sex) like Ishtar. Elamites imported some deities such as Mesopotamian Nergal (a god associated with war, death, and disease), and Nanaya (yet another love goddess). Elamite also exported some deities. Pinikir was known to, and venerated by the Hurrians and Hittites. In 646 BCE Neo-Babylonian leader Ashurbanipal sacked Susa and destroyed most of Elam. In the anarchy that followed the death of Ashurbanipal in 627 BCE, the Medo-Persian Empire gained control of Elam. Hebrew prophet Ezekial describes the fall of Elam in Ezekiel 32:24: "There is Elam and all her multitude, All around her grave, All of them slain, fallen by the sword, Who have gone down uncircumcised to the lower parts of the earth, Who caused their terror in the land of the living; Now they bear their shame with those who go down to the Pit."