Tchogha Zanbil

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Chogha Zanbil: An Unfinished Ziggurat in Ancient Elam

Chogha Zanbil, also known as Al Untas Napirisa or Dur Untash, is an exceptional archaeological site located in the Khuzestan province of Iran. This ancient Elamite complex, dating back to the 14th or 13th century BC, is one of the few existing ziggurats outside Mesopotamia and is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979.

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UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site

The ruins of the holy city of the Kingdom of Elam, surrounded by three huge concentric walls, are found at Tchogha Zanbil. Founded c. 1250 B.C., the city remained unfinished after it was invaded by Ashurbanipal, as shown by the thousands of unused bricks left at the site.

Encyclopedia Record: Chogha Zanbil

Chogha Zanbil, Elamite: Al Untas Napirisa, later Dur Untash, is an ancient Elamite complex in the Khuzestan province of Iran. It is one of the few existing ziggurats outside Mesopotamia. It lies approximately 30 km (19 mi) southeast of Susa and 80 km (50 mi) north of Ahvaz. The construction date of the city is unclear due to uncertainty in the chronology of the reign of Untash-Napirisha, but is clearly sometime in the 14th or 13th century BC. The conventionally assumed date is 1250 BC. The city is currently believed to have been destroyed by the Neo-Assyrian ruler Assurbanipal in about 645 BC, along with the Elamite capital of Susa, though some researchers place the end of occupation in the late 12th century BC. The ziggurat is considered to be the best preserved example of the stepped pyramidal monument by UNESCO. In 1979, Chogha Zanbil became the first Iranian site to be inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

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