Chogha Zanbil is an ancient city built in the second half of the second millennium BCE by one of the most powerful Elamite kings. Its most important surviving structure is the Chogha Zanbil Ziggurat, also known as the Chogha Zanbil Temple, which was partially destroyed in 640 BCE by order of Ashurbanipal, the Assyrian king, during his war against Humban-Numena, the last king of Elam. Covering an area of approximately 100 hectares, it is the first Iranian site to be inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Before archaeological excavations revealed the site, a large mound resembling a basket covered the area, which gave rise to its local name, “Chogha Zanbil.” The name is composed of two words: “Chogha,” meaning “hill” in the Luri language, and “Zanbil,” meaning “basket.”
Before the rise of the Medes, the Elamite Empire ruled parts of what is now Iran. King Untash-Napirisha, one of the empire’s notable rulers, commissioned the construction of a religious and royal city called Dur Untash near the Dez River and the ancient city of Susa around 1250 BCE.
Dur Untash was a fortified city with three concentric walls and seven gates, containing palaces, temples, residential buildings, and other structures. The “Shahi” district, located between the outer and middle walls, included Palace No. 3, Palace No. 2, a main palace, an adobe temple called Nosku, simple residential units in the north, and scattered graves. The Temenos district, or the sacred area, lay between the middle and inner walls and housed numerous temples dedicated to Elamite gods as well as deities from other cultures. Archaeologists have uncovered 10 temples in this district, along with inscribed bricks bearing the names of the gods worshipped there.
The Chogha Zanbil Ziggurat is the most important and tallest building in the city, built by Untash-Napirisha. It has a square base measuring 105 by 105 meters, tapering upwards in a pyramid shape with five tiers, topped by a small temple. The original height was about 52 meters, but today only about 25 meters remain, corresponding to two and a half tiers.
A ziggurat is a type of stepped, tower-like religious structure that was built in the ancient Near East to bring worshippers closer to the gods. Such structures were common in Mesopotamia during the Babylonian and Assyrian periods and also in the Elamite civilization of Iran.
The ziggurat has four staircases, all leading to the entrance of the first floor. To access the upper tiers, visitors used the southwest staircase. The number of brick and stone steps is nearly equal, except where the ground slopes, affecting the count. The stairs were made of brick and protected by a layer of stones. Animal statues served as guardians around the entrances; two such statues have been discovered: a griffin statue now housed in the Haft Tapeh Museum, and a bull statue exhibited in the Museum of Ancient Iran.
Brick inscriptions play a crucial role in understanding Chogha Zanbil. Thousands of bricks carry Elamite script inscriptions, some forming a belt around the ziggurat, while others are on various objects. Around 6,500 of these inscriptions have been deciphered, and all mention King Untash-Napirisha, confirming that he ordered the city and temple’s construction.
The Elamite architects chose the site with great care, taking advantage of natural features. Proximity to the Dez River ensured a water supply, while the city’s location on a natural ridge protected it from flooding. These ridges also functioned as natural walls, shielding Dur Untash from river floods. Interestingly, on clear days, the ancient city of Susa was visible from the top of the ziggurat.
Chogha Zanbil is also notable for yielding the earliest examples of Iranian glassmaking, dating to the second millennium BCE. Glass wires discovered at the site were used as decorative elements in temple doors and windows. The uniformity and mass production of these glass objects demonstrate the Elamites’ advanced technical skills in raw material use and glass manufacturing.
Chogha Zanbil is open to visitors from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. during the first half of the year, and from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. during the second half.
For a deeper understanding of the Elamite civilization and its influence on ancient Iran, visit the Encyclopaedia Britannica article on Elam or explore UNESCO’s official page on Chogha Zanbil.
