The Enigma of Ancient Elam - Part I: The Proto-Elamite and Old Elamite Periods (3500-1500 BC)

Located in what’s today southwestern and southern Iran, the ancient country that most of us today know as Elam emerged as a dynamic and influential civilization that has left an indelible mark on the tapestry of human history. From its earliest origins as a collection of city-states and principalities in the 4th millennium BC to its peak as a formidable empire, Elam’s complex history is one of resilience, innovation, power politics and ultimately in many areas, tragedy. In Part I, we’ll delve into the annals of Elam’s early past and discover the origins of Elamite civilization, art, politics, and its growth as an important military power and commercial conduit that connected east and west. Contents: 00:00 Introduction 01:50 Where was Elam and who are the Elamites? 07:38 Proto-Elamite Culture 10:15 The Mysterious Proto-Elamite Script 12:23 Trade and War with Ancient Sumer 15:40 Elam Under the Akkadian and Awan Dynasties 23:50 The Oldest Elamite Document and