UNTASH
- NAPIRISHA
![](495px-Statue_of_Napirasu.jpg)
Statue
of Napirasu, wife of Untash-Napirisha. Inscription: "I, Napir-Asu,
wife of Untash-Napirisha. He who would seize my statue, who would
smash it, who would destroy its inscription, who would erase my
name, may he be smitten by the curse of Napirisha, of Kiririsha,
and of Inshushinka, that his name shall become extinct, that his
offspring be barren, that the forces of Beltiya, the great goddess,
shall sweep down on him. This is Napir-Asu's offering."
Reign
circa : 1300 BC
Predecessor : Humban-Numena
Successor : Kidin-Hutran
Untash-Napirisha
was king of Elam (in present-day southwest Iran) during the Middle
Elamite period, circa 1300 BCE. He was the son of the previous Elamite
king, Humban-Numena. He was named after Napirisha, an Elamite deity.
He
founded and built extensively a new city, Dur-Untash, 40 km SE of
Susa, modern Chogha Zanbil. He built extensively in this city, and
its main temple, the famous Ziggurat, still stands there. Although
construction in this religious city complex abruptly ended after
Untash-Napirisha's death, the site was not abandoned, but continued
to be occupied until it was destroyed by the Assyrian king Ashurbanipal
in 640 BC.
Untash
Napirirsha also left numerous building inscriptions for more than
50 temples and buildings, either built or renovated during his reign,
in Chogha Zanbil, Susa, Choga Gotvand and other places.
A
later Elamite letter from Berlin Pergamon Museum (VAT17020) mentions
that he married to “the daughter of Burna-buriash (a Babylonian
king) and she bore him a son (and the future Elamite king) Kidin-hudurdish
(Hutran)". If this was the Babylonian king Burna-Buriash
II, then the reign of Untash-Napirisha could be dated ca 1340–1300
BC. However, some scholars consider a different model for the synchronism
between Kassite dynasty in Babylone and the Elamite kings, and suggest
that the mentioned Burna-buriash was a later prince, and that the
reign of Untash-Napirisha could be dated ca. 1275–1240 BC;
see, for example The Berlin Letter, Middle Elamite Chronology and
Sutruk-Nahhunte I’s Genealogy.
![](Axe_Sb_3973.jpg)
Axe bearing the name of the king Untash-Napirisha
![](640px-Untash_king_Axe.jpg)
Axe
inscribed with the name of King Untash-Napirisha
![](640px-Tchogha_Zanbil.jpg)
The
Ziggurat at Chogha Zanbil was built by Untash-Napirisha
![](504px-Untash_Napirisha_stele_Louvre_Sb12.jpg)
Fish-tailed
deity holding snakes. Stele of Untash Napirisha, sandstone, ca.
1340–1300 BC, brought from Tchoga Zanbil to Susa in the 12th
century BC
![](635px-Plaque_with_inscription__Palace_of_Untash-Napirisha__from_Choga-Zanbil.jpg)
Plaque
with inscription "Palace of Untash-Napirisha" from Chogha
Zanbil
Source
:
https://en.wikipedia.org/
wiki/Untash-Napirisha