The Awan Dynasty was the first dynasty of Elam of which very little of anything is known today, appearing at the dawn of historical record. The Dynasty corresponds to the early part of the Old Elamite period, it was succeeded by the Shimashki Dynasty and later the Sukkalmah Dynasty. The Elamites were likely major rivals of neighboring Sumer from remotest antiquity; they were said to have been defeated by Enmebaragesi of Kish, who is the earliest archaeologically attested Sumerian king, as well as by a later monarch, Eannatum I of Lagash.
Image: Dynastic list Awan Siwashi Louvre Sb 17729
Image: Awan Kings List Sb 17729 (transcription)
A God putting a foundation nail in the ground, protected by a Lama goddess, in front of a roaring lion. Coiled snake on top. Inscriptions in Linear Elamite and Akkadian. Time of Kutik-Inshushinak, circa 2100 BC, Louvre Museum
Statue of goddess Narundi dedicated by Awan king Kutik-Inshushinak, with inscriptions in Linear Elamite and in Akkadian, circa 2100 BC, Louvre Museum.
Elam (; Linear Elamite: hatamti; Cuneiform Elamite: ๐น๐ฌ๐ท๐ถ๐พ แธซalatamti; Sumerian: ๐๐ elam; Akkadian: ๐๐ ๐ elamtu; Hebrew: ืขึตืืึธื สฟฤlฤm; was an ancient civilization centered in the far west and southwest of modern-day Iran, stretching from the lowlands of what is now Khuzestan and Ilam Province as well as a small part of southern Iraq. The modern name Elam stems from the Sumerian transliteration elam , along with the later Akkadian elamtu, and the Elamite haltamti. Elamite states were among the leading political forces of the Ancient Near East. In classical literature, Elam was also known as Susiana, a name derived from its capital Susa.
Kneeling Bull with Vessel. Kneeling bull holding a spouted vessel, Proto-Elamite period, (3100โ2900 BC)
Proto-Elamite (Susa III) cylinder seal, 3150โ2800 BC. Louvre Museum, reference Sb 6166
Silver cup with linear-Elamite inscription on it. Late 3rd millennium BC. National Museum of Iran.
Orant figure, Susa IV, 2700โ2340 BC.