Re-assessment of the Location of the Land of Aratta

Abstract

The name “Aratta” and the name of its ruler, “the Lord of Aratta,” are both mentioned in Sumerian literary and epic texts. In these texts, “the Lord of Aratta” and two important Sumerian kings—Enmerkar, who founded Uruk, and Lugalbanda, who succeeded him—were the main players in the events that took place in “the land of Aratta.” One of the most significant places in Sumerian literature was this land, which was unexpectedly referred to as legendary by a small number of scholars who believe the land of Aratta does not exist. Due to the scarcity of essential materials like stone, metals, and wood in Mesopotamia, the metal and stone wealth of Aratta was extremely valuable to the Sumerian society. Other academics have challenged this theory in light of new archaeological discoveries and suggested alternative hypotheses based on their own research findings. The land of Aratta is likely situated in a region located east of Mesopotamia, as mentioned in a number of studies. This article aims to suggest that Aratta could be identified with the area of Shahdad in Kerman Province, while many alternative suggestions were made without consideration of Iranian archaeology.

Keywords

• aratta
• uruk
• shahdad
• water
• enki