Painted Pottery from Al-Hiba: Godin Tepe III Chronology and Interactions between Ancient Lagash and Elam

Abstract

Our understanding of cultural and political developments in western Iran during the third millennium BC relies on the chronological correlation with other regions. The Early Bronze Age in the western Zagros region is marked by a monochrome painted ceramic tradition, best known from the type-site Godin Tepe. A set of Godin-style related sherds discovered at al-Hiba in south Iraq during the early 1970s provides the only chronological anchor point to date the early phases of this tradition. A detailed stylistic analysis of these sherds indicates the need to push back the traditional dates of the Godin sequence significantly.

Keywords:

• western Zagros
• Godin Tepe
• al-Hiba
• Susa
• chronology