Chaghazanbil Shush From antiquity to history and places of interest

Seeing firsts is interesting and exciting for most people around the world. Chaghazanbil of Shush is also considered among the firsts of Iran and is known as the first place of worship or temple of our beloved country. This attraction was once a holy and busy city in the kingdom of Elam (Elam). In this article from Fly Today’s tourism magazine, we will talk about Chaghazanbil in Shush, its history and antiquity, its unique architecture, the king who ordered its construction, access routes, the price of visiting, tourist attractions around Chaghazanbil and many other topics. Please stay with us until the end.

Where is Choghazanbil Shush?

This unique historical monument is located in the southwestern part of Iran, on the way to the ancient city of Shush, in Khuzestan province. As one of the oldest cities in the world, the city of Shush has great historical and cultural importance and contains a valuable legacy of ancient civilizations. Geographically, this ancient city is located 35 km from the western part of Shushtar city, 24 km from the southwestern part of Dezful city and also 115 km from the northwestern part of Ahvaz city, which makes access to this historical monument easier for those interested.

The historical city of Shush, this ancient city with a long history, was known in the past as one of the largest and most magnificent cities in the world. As the capital of powerful empires, this city played an important role in the history of human civilization. One of the valuable historical works of this city is Chaghazanbil Shush, which is called Duravantash in Elamite language.

• Address: Khuzestan province, 45 km south of Susa.

Address of Cheghazanbil Shush on Google map

How to go to Chaghazanbil Shush?

Access to this historical attraction is possible through two routes. In the first route, you will start your journey from the city of Shushtar towards Kesht and Sanat Karon, where you will reach Chaghazanbil Ziggurat. This route will take you to the heart of Iran’s ancient history and civilization, namely Duravantash Ziggurat.

To achieve this destination, there is also a second path. In this route, you start your journey from Ahvaz to Shush road. After traveling a certain distance, the signposts will direct you to Haftpeh historical area. Continuing the route from Haftpeh, you will reach Chaghazanbil Sush. On this route, you will come across two unique historical monuments.

How many kilometers is the distance between Cheghazanbil Shush and the surrounding cities?

If you are planning to go to Chaghazanbil Sush from nearby cities, you need to know the distance between this attraction and these cities. In the following, we have mentioned these intervals:

• Distance from Shush to Chaghazanbil: 43 km;
• Distance from Shushtar to Chaghazanbil: 45 km;
• Distance from Dezful to Chaghazanbil: 87 km;
• Distance from Ahvaz to Chaghazanbil: 120 km;
• Distance from Tehran to Chaghazanbil: 704 km.

What is the ticket price and visiting hours of Choghazanbil Shush World Heritage?

To visit this historical complex, an entrance fee is required. The ticket price is 30 thousand tomans for domestic tourists and 250 thousand tomans for foreign tourists. Visiting hours are from 9 am to 5:30 pm. To get more detailed information, you can use the following methods.

• Choghazanbil Shush World Heritage Site and Haftpeh Museum: tchoghazanbil.com
• Address of world heritage of Chaghazanbil: Khuzestan province, 15 km from Shush city to Ahvaz city, 3 way to Chaghazanbil
• Chaghazanbil and Haftpeh Historical Museum: Khuzestan Province, Shush City, Haftpeh, Haftpeh Museum
• Contact number: 06142867213-14

What do Cheghazanbil, Duravantash and Ziggurat mean?

You may have wondered where these three words come from and what meanings they convey. We have explained each one below.

• Chaghazanbil: This name is a combination of two words Lori; “Chagha” means hill and “Zanbil” means basket. Local people called it Chaghazanbil because of the special shape of this building, which was similar to a big upside-down basket. Before the beginning of the archaeological excavations, this huge structure was visible in the form of a big hill, and for this reason, considering its appearance and combining the two words Lori, this name was chosen for it.
• Duravantash: Duravantash is a name that is formed from the combination of two Elamite words “Dor” meaning place and abode and “Ontash” the name of the Elamite king who built this building. In other words, Duravantash can be translated as “the place and abode of Untash”.
• Ziggurat: Ziggurats were huge and magnificent religious buildings that were especially important in ancient civilizations, especially among the Sumerians. These pyramid-shaped stair structures were built with the inspiration of the mountains and as a symbol of the connection between the earth and the sky. The word ziggurat is derived from the Akkadian word “zigura” which means “mountain peak” or “elevated place”. These magnificent buildings were often built in the center of cities and were used as a place to worship gods and perform religious ceremonies.

Get to know the history of Chaghazanbil Shush

Chaghazanbil of Susa is considered the most special symbol of the ancient civilization of Elam. This historical building with its unique architecture is indicative of the lifestyle and religious beliefs of the people of this ancient civilization. This ancient building as a settlement, in addition to the architectural aspect, contains valuable information about the culture, art and history of the Elamites. For this reason, this work was registered as the first Iranian work in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1358.

Jacques de Morgan, a famous geologist, made an important discovery in 1890. He found out about the existence of oil mines in this area and this news had a wide impact at that time. About half a century later, when oil engineers were working in this area, they accidentally made a valuable archaeological discovery. They found a brick with ancient inscriptions on it. This accidental discovery was the beginning of extensive archaeological excavations in Duravantash Ziggurat and led to the discovery of one of the most important historical monuments of Iran.

The discovery of old bricks and the beginning of research

The accidental discovery of an old brick was the beginning of archaeological research in this area. This brick, which was found by local farmers around Susa, reached the hands of archaeologists who were excavating the area. The presence of this brick drew the attention of researchers to an unknown area to direct their research in that direction.

Buried underground, the monument remained unknown for decades until it was excavated by French archaeologist Romain Girshman during the Pahlavi II period. Despite the passage of thousands of years, this historical building still retains its wonder and grandeur. However, natural factors such as wind, rain and weather changes have caused erosion and destruction of parts of it over time.

How old is Cheghazanbil of Shush?

This ancient place of worship, known in the past by the Elamites as Ziggurat Doravantash, was built around 1250 years before Christ. Chaghazanbil of Shush is the oldest known religious building in Iran. In the middle of the second millennium BC, Ontash Gall, the powerful king of ancient Elam, started to build this huge building.

The main purpose of building this magnificent temple was to worship Inshushinak, the patron goddess of the ancient city of Sush. Unfortunately, the Elamite civilization did not last long. In 645 BC, the Assyrian army of Banipal attacked the land of Elam and destroyed the ziggurat city of Doravantash, putting an end to this ancient civilization.

How was Choghazanbil Shush discovered?

The accidental discovery of Chaghazanbil Temple in Shush in 1939 marked a new chapter in the history of Iranian archeology. In that year, a group of Iran and England oil company experts, during a flight in this area, encountered a huge hill surrounded by walls.

This unexpected discovery attracted the attention of one of the group’s geologists named Brown. Brown collected several inscribed bricks from the surface of the mound and reported the importance of the find to the archaeological team excavating the city of Susa. This report was the beginning of extensive studies that led to the identification of Chaghazanbil as one of the most important ancient works of Iran.

For the first time in 1935, the attention of French archaeologists was drawn to the ancient site of Durvantash Ziggurat. Van der Meer and Louis Louberton, two members of the French Archaeological Commission, were the first to visit the site. Romain Girshman, a prominent French archaeologist, played a very important role in the excavations and further understanding of the city of Doravantash.

What secrets are hidden in the inscriptions of Choghazanbil Susa?

Inscriptions and brick inscriptions of Chaghazanbil, Susa, which are among the objects discovered in Chaghazanbil, played a significant role in the recognition and introduction of this huge building. Thousands of inscriptions written in the ancient Elamite language and script cover a large part of the Doravantash ziggurat. In these ancient inscriptions, the reasons for building ziggurats, the names of their builders, the type of materials used, and the decorations used in these huge structures are fully described. In an ancient inscription carved on one of the bricks, the Elamite king Ontash Napirisha spoke in detail about the construction of this massive building.

In this inscription, he said that he built this magnificent temple using valuable and precious materials, such as golden and silver bricks, black agate stones, white stones and other precious stones, and presented it as a valuable gift to the gods Napirisha and Inshushinik. is Also, the king, in a threatening tone, cursed anyone who damages this building and steals its property, and demanded the destruction of the generation for the perpetrators of this act.

Who was the king who built Choghazanbil Susa?

Untash Napirisha, a powerful king from the ancient civilization of Elam, built Durvantash Ziggurat in the 13th century BC. This ziggurat, which is also known as Untash city, is considered one of the masterpieces of ancient architecture and engineering. By building this huge building, Ontash Napirisha recorded his name as its founder in history. He was the grandson of Pahir Ishan, the founder of the royal dynasty in Elam, and after him, Kidin Hotran II came to power.

Ontash Gall, the king of Elam, came to power in 1265 BC and after that he established a new city called Duravantash. One of the most important achievements of this king was the construction of a magnificent ziggurat in this city. According to the surviving inscriptions, Untash Gal had other goals in mind for the construction of this magnificent building besides worshiping the god Inshushinak. Of course, despite the great efforts of archaeologists, these goals have not yet been fully deciphered, and some researchers believe that the 4 cylindrical buildings around the ziggurat help to better understand the motives of the Elamite king.

Roman Girshman, a famous archaeologist, estimated the period of rule of the king who founded Chaghazanbil Sush as 20 years (1265 to 1245 BC), and this estimate was based on the available evidence and his extensive research. Archaeologists’ investigations also show that among the 6,500 bricks with inscriptions found in the excavations of Chaghazanbil, only the name of this king is repeated many times. The absence of the name of another king or prince on these inscriptions indicates that this building was built during the reign of a single king.

What is the architecture of Choghazanbil Shush?

Chaghazenbil Shush is a large urban complex located in the ancient city of Duravantash. This complex, which is several thousand years old, consists of 3 concentric defensive walls. In the central part of this complex, Duravantash Ziggurat is placed as the main and religious building of the city. In the second fence, there were smaller palaces and temples, and in the third fence, in addition to royal palaces and tombs, a very advanced water purification system was built.

The main materials used in making Choghazanbil Shush were clay and mud. Of course, to increase the durability and stability of the building, the builders have also used bricks. The exterior of the ziggurat is also decorated with thousands of baked bricks with inscriptions. In addition to bricks, other materials such as bitumen mortar, plaster coatings, glazed bricks, glass decorations and clay studs have also been used in the construction of this historical building.

Duravantash Ziggurat, or Cheghazanbil of Susa, is of great importance in architecture and archeology. One of the unique features of this building is the use of glazed clay bull statues at its entrances. These sculptures, which were made with special elegance, had a protective role and were also considered a symbol of power and authority. Near the Heshmitic and Rohoratir temples, there was also a furnace for firing the pottery needed to make these statues and other decorative elements. The discovery of this furnace shows the progress of pottery technology and industry in the ancient Elam civilization.

More details about the architecture of Chaghazanbil

Choghazanbil of Shush was originally designed and built as five floors, but unfortunately, over the years and due to natural and human factors, a significant part of it was destroyed. Currently, only two floors of this historic building remain. Chaghazanbil of Shush has dimensions of approximately 105 meters in length and an initial height of 53 meters from the ground level; However, its height has now been reduced to about 25 meters. On the other hand, the floors of this building are built horizontally and parallel to the ground.

Choghazanbil Shush has a complex and unique structure. The inner part of most floors of this huge building are built and filled with clay, but the first and fifth floors have an empty room-like space. The interior walls of the ziggurat are made of clay, while the exterior is covered with bricks.

Some of the bricks used in the construction of this building are glazed, and some others have decorations such as studs, which are among the oldest examples of tiles in the world. Another noteworthy point is the presence of Elamite cuneiform brick inscriptions on the facade of the ziggurat, which refers to the name of the builder of the building, Untash Gal, and the purpose of its construction.

Around Chaghazanbil Shush, there are two circular platforms in the northwest and southwest directions, the exact reason for their construction is still the subject of debate among archaeologists. Some researchers believe that these platforms were used in the past as places for performing activities such as divination, observing the stars, measuring time using the sun, or even holding sacrifice ceremonies. However, due to the lack of definitive evidence, determining the precise use of these platforms is still a major challenge for archaeologists.

Which temples of ancient gods are located in Cheghazanbil, Shush?

In the historic area of ​​Chaghazanbil Susa, in addition to the two temples that are located near the western and southeastern gates of the second wall and whose names have not been found, numerous places of worship were dedicated to the important gods and goddesses of the Elam civilization. These temples were dedicated to gods such as Inshushinak, Napirisha, Kririsha, Ishnikarb and Humban. In the following, we will mention the names of the places of worship and temples of the ancient gods of Elam in this collection:

• Goddess of Oath, Ishani Karab;
• Anzan’s god, Rohorathir;
• wife of God Anzan, Hishemtik;
• God of air, Eda;
• wife of the god of air, Nin Ali;
• God of fire, Nosku;
• God of Elam, Shimut;
• Menzet, the wife of God Elam;
• The great god of Elam, Gal;
• Grandmother of the Gods, Pi Nikir;
• Goddesses of daily life, Nepratep.

The presence of an observatory in Cheghazanbil, Sush

Archaeologists believe that in addition to the main ziggurat, this complex also included 3 other small buildings. These buildings have an astronomical function as an integrated complex. Archaeologists consider this unique complex a solar observatory or solar calendar. They believe that this collection was used to calculate the rotation of the sun, adjust the annual calendar and accurately identify the beginning of seasons and solstices. In other words, this complex was not only a religious temple, but also an advanced scientific center.

In ancient architecture, there were arches with several nested and shrinking arches, which were also of special importance. These types of arches, which were initially built for the purpose of observing celestial bodies, especially the sun, were gradually used as a decorative element at the entrance of buildings. This change of use has shown the ancient architects’ attention to aesthetics as well as the practicality of architectural elements.

The bricks used in the construction of solar meters of this building had unique features. These bricks, designed in an octagonal shape, were specifically used to observe the sun. The inscriptions found on the bricks of this place are also a confirmation of the use of this circular building as an observatory.

In the inscription written on the bricks of this building, Ontash Gal, the mighty king of Anshan and Sush, spoke about the construction of this huge building. In this inscription, he considered himself devoted to serving the gods Gal and Inshushinak and spoke about the construction of a building called Sian Kuk. Unfortunately, the two key words “Sian Kuk” and “Shunshwairpi” which are repeated many times in these inscriptions, have not been accurately translated until now. However, according to the available evidence and archeological studies, researchers believe that these two words most likely convey the concept of an observatory or a place to observe celestial bodies.

Benefiting from the refinery in Chaghazanbil, Shush

Another unique and interesting feature about Durvantash Ziggurat is the existence of a highly advanced water purification system. This refinery, which is considered as one of the oldest examples known in the world, shows the high knowledge and technology of the builders of this historic building. The design and construction of such a complex system thousands of years ago shows the genius and creativity of ancient Iranian civilizations.

Despite the distance of 3 kilometers from the Dez River to the Chaghazanbil Temple, the main source of water supply for this magnificent ancient building was the Karkhe River. The water of this river has been transported there through a 45 km canal. The main reason for this choice was the significant height difference between the Dez River and the location of this building. In other words, it has not been possible to supply water from the Dez River due to the topographical position of the region.

Get to know the tourist attractions around Chaghazanbil Sush

On the edge of Durvantash Ziggurat, there are beautiful natural landscapes and valuable historical monuments that you can also visit. Those who are interested in nature tourism can enjoy the pristine and eye-catching scenery around this historical attraction with proper planning. In the following, we will introduce some of the most famous tourist attractions around this magnificent building.

Tomb of Daniyal Nabi The burial of a prophet from the 7th century BC

The tomb of Daniyal Nabi is considered one of the important religious and historical monuments of Susa city, which was built in 1249 AD by the order of Shia cleric, Jafar Shushtri. The construction of this building took place after the devastating flood in the same year and the destruction of the previous building. In the new building, the shrine is placed in the center. With its interesting and unique architecture, this tomb has become one of the most important tourist attractions of Shush city and welcomes many pilgrims and tourists every year.

Daniel is one of the prominent prophets of Bani Israel who lived in the city of Babylon in the 7th century BC. He was a descendant of Judah, one of the sons of Hazrat Yaqub, who migrated to Iran with a group of his fellow believers and settled in the city of Shush. According to historical sources, it can be assumed that he was alive until the reign of Cyrus the Great. Daniel gained a lot of fame due to his great knowledge and wisdom, especially in the field of dream interpretation.

• Address: Imam Khomeini St., Shush city, Khuzestan province.

The address of Daniyal Nabi’s tomb on Google map

Dez river The lifeblood of the city of Shush

Dez River is one of the most important water sources in the west of the country, which originates from the central Zagros highlands in the south of Lorestan province. After traveling a long way and passing through mountainous areas and fertile plains, this roaring river has reached Dezful city and has become one of the main attractions of this city. In addition to its environmental value, Roodez River plays a very important role in electricity production. After passing through Dezful and Shushtar, this river finally joins the Karun River and flows into the Persian Gulf.

This tourist area also meets the various needs of tourists in terms of amenities and entertainment. A diverse collection of hotels, guest houses and traditional residences are located near the Dez River, which provide a pleasant and memorable stay for travelers by providing quality services and convenient amenities.

• Address: Khuzestan province, Shush city.

Road Dez address on Google map

Water structures of Shushtar Engineering masterpiece in ancient Iran

Shushtar water structures are known as a masterpiece of water engineering in Iran and are a symbol of the harmony between man and nature, these structures are one of the most special Sights of Shushtar are considered This unique complex has been registered in the UNESCO World Heritage List and includes structures such as bridges, dams, canals and water mills. These extraordinary water structures, which were built using local materials and the advanced engineering knowledge of their time, in addition to supplying the city with water, also protected it from floods.

In addition to historical and architectural charm, this complex has also provided convenient amenities for visitors. The presence of shops, toilets and prayer rooms provides the comfort of tourists to some extent. Considering the approximate distance of 45 kilometers from Shushtar water structures to Chaghazanbil, you can see these two historical monuments in one trip and enjoy the natural and historical beauty of the region.

• Address: Shariati Street, Shushtar City, Khuzestan Province.

Chaghazanbil Shush A symbol of the glory of ancient civilizations

Choghazanbil Sush is an attraction that does not exist anywhere in the world. The unique architecture and its grandeur is a symbol of the splendor of the civilization of ancient Iran and Elam. Visiting this historical attraction is actually like a trip to the past and watching the hard work and ingenuity of the people of that era. If you are also interested in ancient and historical monuments, just pack your travel bags and go to this beautiful city.

Have you ever visited this attraction? Which part of it surprised you? Write for us and other users in the comments section.

Frequently asked questions about Chaghazanbil Shush