Haft Tappeh Hill
Haft Tappeh, one of the most amazing ancient hills that is likely to have the ancient city of “Tikni” or “Kabnak” in its heart, is located in the most fertile part of the Khuzestan (Ahvaz) plain. This ancient site is located between the Dez and Karkheh rivers, about 17 km southeast of Susa, in the middle of the Haft Tappeh sugarcane plantations. Areas that are significantly older, but each has a different position in terms of use and antiquity among archaeologists.
The settlements discovered on this hill are classified into two categories in terms of use: permanent and temporary, which are areas that have only been the temporary presence of people and because there are no important human structures, are not of equal importance. But the permanent settlements of individuals, ie cities, are of special archaeological importance due to the existence of many buildings in themselves that best represent the culture of their inhabitants.
One of these ancient cities that has many hidden secrets in its heart, is the Kabnak city which dates back to the Ilam civilization. According to archaeologists, the residential area of Haft Tappeh, which consists of 14 ancient hills and is about 3500 years old, is the same city. But some archaeologists have previously believed that the ancient name of the city and the ancient monuments of Haft Tappeh is the city of “Tikni”, which based on practical excavations, it is revealed that the original and ancient name of Haft Tappeh is the city of “Kabnak”.
The Kidino dynasty was the first ruling family of Ilam in the Middle-Ages. In a large inscription obtained during the excavation of Haft Tappeh, a person named “Teppe Ahar” is mentioned, who called himself the king of Elam. Teppe Ahar inscribed on this stone, called himself the liberator of the country of Ilam from domination and the invasion of the sultans of Mesopotamia, and was buried with his wife in the tomb of this city.
Although the city of Kabnak was an important political center during the reign of the Kidinos and was considered the capital of Ahar during the Tibetan period, the Ihhalaki dynasty established the religious city of Aurantash due to the political goals of the famous king of this dynasty, Ontesh Napirishe. And as a place of worship for the ancient gods, he ordered the construction of the Tchogha znabil temple in this city. With the founding of the nearby religious city of Oravantash and its unique features, Kabnak soon lost its prosperity.
In this area, during the construction operation, a part of a brick wall and a brick arch appeared, and since then, scientific excavations have started in the area and many artifacts from the Elamite period have been excavated, such as: Teppe Ahar tomb complex and his private temple, tomb Group, temple building, ziggurat or palace number 1, courtyards, ziggurat or palace number 2, long north wall and long hall. The remains of a ruined ziggurat in Haft Tappeh were probably about 30 meters high. This ziggurat is located next to the museum, which was badly damaged during the Persia-Iraq war. Elsewhere, the remains of a palace can be seen, and from there a large number of Babylonian inscriptions were discovered. The arch in the famous tomb of Haft Tappeh is the oldest type of arch in the Elamite period and is 200 years older than a similar example in Tchogha znabil.
Several large inscriptions and more than thousands of inscriptions have been discovered in Haft Tappeh, which shows the prevalence of writing in this historical period, although most of them were in Acadian language and many seals have been discovered in the region. Also pottery and metal figures, metal objects, clay cedars, coffins, painted clay linings, stone objects and various decorative objects are other items that have been discovered in this historical hill.