Kutik-Inshushinak
Encyclopedia
Kutik-Inshushinak was king of Elam
from about 2240 to 2220 BC (long chronology), and the last from the Awan dynasty
.
His father was Shinpi-khish-khuk, the crown prince, and most likely a brother of king Khita. Kutik-Inshushinak's first position was as governor of Susa
, which he may have held from a young age. About 2250 BC, his father died, and he became crown prince in his stead.
Elam had been under the domination of Akkad
since the time of Sargon
, and Kutik-Inshushinak accordingly campaigned in the Zagros mountains
on their behalf. He was greatly successful as his conquests seem to have gone beyond the initial mission.
In 2240 BC, he asserted his independence from Akkad, which had been weakening ever since the death of Naram-Sin
, thus making himself king of Elam. He conquered Anshan
and managed to unite most of Elam into one kingdom. He built extensively on the citadel at Susa, and encouraged the use of the Linear Elamite
script to write the Elamite language
. This may be seen as a reaction against Sargon's attempt to force the use of Akkadian
. Most inscriptions in Linear Elamite date from the reign of Kutik-Inshushinak.
His achievements were not longlasting, for after his death the linear script fell into disuse, and Susa was overrun by the Third dynasty of Ur
, while Elam fell under control of Simashki dynasty (also Elamite origin).
It is now known that his reign in Elam overlapped with that of Ur-Nammu
of Ur-III, although the previous lengthy estimates of the duration of the intervening Gutian dynasty and rule of Utu-hengal
of Uruk had not allowed for that synchronism.
Elam
Elam was an ancient civilization located in what is now southwest Iran. Elam was centered in the far west and the southwest of modern-day Iran, stretching from the lowlands of Khuzestan and Ilam Province, as well as a small part of southern Iraq...
from about 2240 to 2220 BC (long chronology), and the last from the Awan dynasty
Awan dynasty
The Awan Dynasty was the first dynasty of Elam of which anything is known today, appearing at the dawn of historical record. The Elamites were likely major rivals of neighboring Sumer from remotest antiquity; they were said to have been defeated by Enmebaragesi of Kish The Awan Dynasty was the...
.
His father was Shinpi-khish-khuk, the crown prince, and most likely a brother of king Khita. Kutik-Inshushinak's first position was as governor of Susa
Susa
Susa was an ancient city of the Elamite, Persian and Parthian empires of Iran. It is located in the lower Zagros Mountains about east of the Tigris River, between the Karkheh and Dez Rivers....
, which he may have held from a young age. About 2250 BC, his father died, and he became crown prince in his stead.
Elam had been under the domination of Akkad
Akkad
The Akkadian Empire was an empire centered in the city of Akkad and its surrounding region in Mesopotamia....
since the time of Sargon
Sargon of Akkad
Sargon of Akkad, also known as Sargon the Great "the Great King" , was an Akkadian emperor famous for his conquest of the Sumerian city-states in the 23rd and 22nd centuries BC. The founder of the Dynasty of Akkad, Sargon reigned in the last quarter of the third millennium BC...
, and Kutik-Inshushinak accordingly campaigned in the Zagros mountains
Zagros Mountains
The Zagros Mountains are the largest mountain range in Iran and Iraq. With a total length of 1,500 km , from northwestern Iran, and roughly correlating with Iran's western border, the Zagros range spans the whole length of the western and southwestern Iranian plateau and ends at the Strait of...
on their behalf. He was greatly successful as his conquests seem to have gone beyond the initial mission.
In 2240 BC, he asserted his independence from Akkad, which had been weakening ever since the death of Naram-Sin
Naram-Sin
Naram-Sin , reigned ca. 2254–2218 BCE, short chronology, was the third successor and grandson of King Sargon of Akkad. Under Naram-Sin the Akkadian Empire reached its zenith...
, thus making himself king of Elam. He conquered Anshan
Anshan (Persia)
Anshan - History :Before 1973, when it was identified as Tall-i Malyan, Anshan had been assumed by scholars to be somewhere in the central Zagros mountain range....
and managed to unite most of Elam into one kingdom. He built extensively on the citadel at Susa, and encouraged the use of the Linear Elamite
Linear Elamite
Linear Elamite is a Bronze Age writing system used in Elam, known from a few monumental inscriptions only. It was used contemporarily with Elamite Cuneiform and likely records the Elamite language....
script to write the Elamite language
Elamite language
Elamite is an extinct language spoken by the ancient Elamites. Elamite was the primary language in present day Iran from 2800–550 BCE. The last written records in Elamite appear about the time of the conquest of the Persian Empire by Alexander the Great....
. This may be seen as a reaction against Sargon's attempt to force the use of Akkadian
Akkadian language
Akkadian is an extinct Semitic language that was spoken in ancient Mesopotamia. The earliest attested Semitic language, it used the cuneiform writing system derived ultimately from ancient Sumerian, an unrelated language isolate...
. Most inscriptions in Linear Elamite date from the reign of Kutik-Inshushinak.
His achievements were not longlasting, for after his death the linear script fell into disuse, and Susa was overrun by the Third dynasty of Ur
Third Dynasty of Ur
The Third Dynasty of Ur, also known as the Neo-Sumerian Empire or the Ur III Empire refers simultaneously to a 21st to 20th century BC Sumerian ruling dynasty based in the city of Ur and a short-lived territorial-political state that some historians regard as a nascent empire...
, while Elam fell under control of Simashki dynasty (also Elamite origin).
It is now known that his reign in Elam overlapped with that of Ur-Nammu
Ur-Nammu
Ur-Nammu founded the Sumerian 3rd dynasty of Ur, in southern Mesopotamia, following several centuries of Akkadian and Gutian rule...
of Ur-III, although the previous lengthy estimates of the duration of the intervening Gutian dynasty and rule of Utu-hengal
Utu-hengal
Utu-hengal was one of the first native kings of Sumer after centuries of Akkadian and Gutian rule....
of Uruk had not allowed for that synchronism.