Home Region: Iran (Southwest Asia)

Susa I

4300 BCE 3800 BCE

D G SC WF

EQ 2020 ir_susa_1 / IrSusa1

Preceding Entity: Add one more here.

4700 BCE 4300 BCE Susiana - Late Ubaid (ir_susiana_ubaid_2) [continuity]

Succeeding Entity: Add one more here.

3800 BCE 3100 BCE Susa II (ir_susa_2) [None]

General Description

The 4300-3800 BCE period in the region of Susiana was the tale of two settlements, the fall of Chogha Mish and the rise of Susa. However, the basic mode of living at this time was in agricultural villages and herding camps so the urban aspect should not be exaggerated. The "Urban Revolution" was to come c3800-3000 BCE. ^[1] This was a time when centers developed to a larger scale than before ^[2] , and increased - if still incipient - centralization with the emergence of elite houses, whilst the societies as a whole maintained a "strong egalitarian appearance". ^[2]
Prior to the foundation of Susa part of the existing site of Choga Mish was burned and villages surrounding Susa were abandoned, but archaeologists have not yet settled on an explanation why this occurred. ^[3] Susa, which replaced Choga Mish as the biggest settlement in the region, is noted for its comparatively great size compared to surrounding settlements with about 1000 people in the 15-18 hectare urban area, which consisted of non-contiguous groups of houses. ^[4] Hole (1987) estimates there were 10,000 people in the region of Susiana. ^[5]
Despite the low population density Susa soon after its foundation became "distinguished by a number of architectural developments which would seem to exceed the scope of activities normally associated with village life". ^[3] most notably a stepped platform. ^[6] Many archaeologists are, however, reluctant to infer from the impressive temple constructions that Susa was a ’ceremonial centre’ or to suggest it was politically organized as a chiefdom. ^[6] Administrative conventions and writing are known to have developed in the later Uruk period. ^[1]
There is nevertheless obvious evidence of a central authority in terms of the organization and hoarding of goods. Excavations at Susa discovered may stamp seals and sealings from the Susa I period, some of which may have been used on locked doors. This implies an authority existed "to control the flow of goods in and out of one or more offices or centres of redistribution." ^[6]
Earliest and latest radiocarbon 14 dates for Susa are about 4400-3900 BCE and 3700-3500 BCE. ^[3] Tepe Jaffarabad, which is analogue in terms of ceramics, has been radiocarbon dated 4100-3900 BCE and 3900-3700 BCE and "thus generally consistent with the Susa dates" ^[3] - at least for the period from 4100-3700 BCE.

[1]: (Leverani 2014, 79) Mario Liverani. Soraia Tabatabai, trans. 2014. The Ancient Near East. History, society and economy. Routledge. London.

[2]: (Peasnall 2002, 173) B N Peasnall. Iranian Chalcolithic. P Peregrine. M Ember. eds. 2002. Encyclopedia of Prehistory. Volume 8: South and Southwest Asia, pp. 160-195. New York: Springer.

[3]: (Potts 1999, 46) D T Potts. 1999. The Archaeology of Elam. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge.

[4]: (Potts 2016, 48) Potts, D T. 2016. The Archaeology of Elam Formation and Transformation of an Ancient Iranian State. 2nd Edition. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge.

[5]: (Hole 1987, 94) F Hole. 1987. The Archaeology of Western Iran. Settlement and Society from Prehistory to the Islamic Conquest. Washington DC. The Smithsonian Institution Press.

[6]: (Potts 1999, 49-50) D T Potts. 1999. The Archaeology of Elam. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge.

General Variables

Identity and Location

1 Utm Zone

1 Original Name

1 Capital

4 Alternative Name

Temporal Bounds

1 Duration

Political and Cultural Relations

1 Succeeding Entity

1 Relationship to preceding Entity

2 Polity Succession

1 Degree of Centralization

Language

1 Linguistic Family

Religion

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale

1 Population of the Largest Settlement

1 Polity Territory

2 Polity Population

Hierarchical Complexity

1 Settlement Hierarchy

1 Religious Level

1 Military Level

1 Administrative Level

Professions

1 Professional Soldier

1 Professional Priesthood

1 Professional Military Officer

Bureaucracy Characteristics

1 Specialized Government Building

1 Merit Promotion

1 Full Time Bureaucrat

1 Examination System

Law

1 Professional Lawyer

1 Judge

1 Formal Legal Code

1 Court

Specialized Buildings: polity owned

1 Market

1 Irrigation System

1 Food Storage Site

Transport Infrastructure

1 Road

1 Canal

1 Bridge

Special-purpose Sites

Information / Writing System

1 Written Record

1 Script

1 Phonetic Alphabetic Writing

1 Nonwritten Record

1 Non Phonetic Writing

Information / Kinds of Written Documents

1 Scientific Literature

1 Sacred Text

1 Religious Literature

1 Practical Literature

1 Philosophy

1 Lists Tables and Classification

1 History

1 Fiction

1 Calendar

Information / Money

1 Precious Metal

1 Paper Currency

1 Indigenous Coin

1 Foreign Coin

1 Article

Information / Postal System

1 Postal Station

1 General Postal Service

Information / Measurement System

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications

1 Wooden Palisade

1 Stone Walls Non Mortared

1 Stone Walls Mortared

1 Settlements in a Defensive Position

1 Modern Fortification

1 Moat

1 Fortified Camp

1 Earth Rampart

1 Ditch

1 Complex Fortification

1 Long Wall

Military use of Metals

1 Steel

1 Iron

1 Copper

1 Bronze

Projectiles

1 Tension Siege Engine

1 Sling Siege Engine

1 Sling

1 Self Bow

1 Javelin

1 Handheld Firearm

1 Gunpowder Siege Artillery

1 Crossbow

1 Composite Bow

1 Atlatl

Handheld weapons

1 War Club

1 Sword

1 Spear

1 Polearm

1 Dagger

1 Battle Axe

Animals used in warfare

1 Horse

1 Elephant

1 Donkey

1 Dog

1 Camel

Armor

1 Wood Bark Etc

1 Shield

1 Scaled Armor

1 Plate Armor

1 Limb Protection

1 Leather Cloth

1 Laminar Armor

1 Helmet

1 Chainmail

1 Breastplate

Naval technology

1 Specialized Military Vessel

1 Small Vessels Canoes Etc

1 Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods) Coding in Progress.

Religion Variables Coding in Progress.

Crisis Consequence Cases Coding in Progress.

Power Transitions Coding in Progress.

Instability Events Coding in Progress.

NGA Settlements:

Year Range	Susa I (ir_susa_1) was in:
(4300 BCE 3801 BCE)	Susiana

Home NGA: Susiana

General Variables

Identity and Location Susa I (ir_susa_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Utm Zone	39 R	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Original Name	Susa I	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Capital	Susa	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Alternative Name	Susiana C	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Alternative Name	Mehmeh	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Alternative Name	Susa A	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Alternative Name	Terminal Susa	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Temporal Bounds Susa I (ir_susa_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Duration	[4300 BCE ➜ 3800 BCE]
Loading...

Political and Cultural Relations Susa I (ir_susa_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Succeeding Entity	Susa II	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Relationship to Preceding Entity	continuity	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Preceding Entity 4700 BCE 4300 BCE	Susiana - Late Ubaid (ir_susiana_ubaid_2) [continuity]
Loading...

Succeeding Entity 3800 BCE 3100 BCE	Susa II (ir_susa_2) [None]
Loading...

Degree of Centralization	quasi-polity	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Language Susa I (ir_susa_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Linguistic Family	NO_VALUE_ON_WIKI	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Religion Susa I (ir_susa_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Susa I (ir_susa_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Population of the Largest Settlement	[350 to 1,400] people	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Polity Territory	1 km²	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Polity Population	[8,000 to 12,000] people	4300 BCE 4000 BCE
Loading...

Polity Population	[800 to 1,200] people	3999 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Hierarchical Complexity Susa I (ir_susa_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	[2 to 3]	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Religious Level	[1 to 2]	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Military Level	[1 to 2]	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Administrative Level	[1 to 2]	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Professions Susa I (ir_susa_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Soldier	Absent Inferred	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Professional Priesthood	Present Inferred	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Professional Military Officer	Absent Inferred	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Bureaucracy Characteristics Susa I (ir_susa_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Government Building	Unknown Suspected	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Merit Promotion	Absent Inferred	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Full Time Bureaucrat	Unknown Suspected	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Examination System	Absent Inferred	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Law Susa I (ir_susa_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Lawyer	Absent Inferred	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Judge	Absent Inferred	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Formal Legal Code	Absent Inferred	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Court	Absent Inferred	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Specialized Buildings: polity owned Susa I (ir_susa_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Market	Uncoded Undecided	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Irrigation System	Present Inferred	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Food Storage Site	Present Inferred	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Transport Infrastructure Susa I (ir_susa_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Road	Absent Inferred	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Canal	Unknown Suspected	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Bridge	Unknown Suspected	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Special-purpose Sites Susa I (ir_susa_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Information / Writing System Susa I (ir_susa_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Absent	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Script	Absent	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Phonetic Alphabetic Writing	Absent	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Nonwritten Record	Present	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Non Phonetic Writing	Absent	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Information / Kinds of Written Documents Susa I (ir_susa_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Scientific Literature	Absent	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Sacred Text	Absent	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Religious Literature	Absent	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Practical Literature	Absent	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Philosophy	Absent	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Lists Tables and Classification	Absent	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

History	Absent	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Fiction	Absent	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Calendar	Absent	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Information / Money Susa I (ir_susa_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Precious Metal	Present Inferred	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Paper Currency	Unknown Suspected	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Indigenous Coin	Unknown Suspected	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Foreign Coin	Unknown Suspected	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Article	Present Inferred	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Information / Postal System Susa I (ir_susa_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Postal Station	Unknown Suspected	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

General Postal Service	Unknown Suspected	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Information / Measurement System Susa I (ir_susa_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Susa I (ir_susa_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wooden Palisade	Unknown Suspected	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Stone Walls Non Mortared	Absent	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Stone Walls Mortared	Absent	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Settlements in a Defensive Position	Present	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Modern Fortification	Absent	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Moat	Unknown Suspected	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Fortified Camp	Unknown Suspected	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Earth Rampart	Unknown Suspected	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Ditch	Unknown Suspected	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Complex Fortification	Absent	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Long Wall	unknown Suspected	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Military use of Metals Susa I (ir_susa_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Absent	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Iron	Absent	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Copper	Present	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Bronze	Absent	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Projectiles Susa I (ir_susa_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Tension Siege Engine	Absent	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Sling Siege Engine	Absent	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Sling	Present	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Self Bow	Present Inferred	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Javelin	Unknown Suspected	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Handheld Firearm	Absent	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Gunpowder Siege Artillery	Absent	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Crossbow	Absent	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Composite Bow	Absent	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Atlatl	Absent	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Handheld weapons Susa I (ir_susa_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
War Club	Present Inferred	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Sword	Absent	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Spear	Unknown Suspected	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Polearm	Absent	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Dagger	Present Inferred	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Battle Axe	Present	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Animals used in warfare Susa I (ir_susa_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Absent	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Elephant	Absent	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Donkey	Unknown Suspected	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Dog	Present	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Camel	Absent	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Armor Susa I (ir_susa_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wood Bark Etc	Unknown Suspected	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Shield	Unknown Suspected	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Scaled Armor	Absent	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Plate Armor	Absent	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Limb Protection	Unknown Suspected	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Leather Cloth	Unknown Suspected	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Laminar Armor	Absent	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Helmet	Absent	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Chainmail	Absent	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Breastplate	Unknown Suspected	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Naval technology Susa I (ir_susa_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Military Vessel	Absent	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Small Vessels Canoes Etc	Unknown Suspected	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service	Absent	4300 BCE 3800 BCE
Loading...

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Susa I (ir_susa_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Human Sacrifice Susa I (ir_susa_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More