Possible location of Marhasi, to the east of
Sumer and
Elam.
Marhaši (
Sumerian: Mar-ḫa-šiKI𒈥𒄩𒅆
𒆠, Marhashi, Marhasi, Parhasi, Barhasi; in earlier sources Waraḫše.
Akkadian: "Parahshum" 𒁀𒊏𒄴𒋧𒆠pa2-ra-ah-shum2-ki)[1] was a 3rd millennium BC polity situated east of
Elam, on the
Iranian plateau, in
Makran. It is known from
Mesopotamian sources, but its precise location has not been identified, though some scholars link it with the
Jiroft culture.
Henri-Paul Francfort and Xavier Tremblay[2] proposed identifying the kingdom of Marhashi with
Ancient Margiana on the basis of the Akkadian textual and archaeological evidence.
History
The main inscription describing the rule of
Lugal-Anne-Mundu of
Adab in the 24th century BC mentions Marhasi among the seven provinces of his empire, between the names of Elam and
Gutium: "the
Cedar Mountains,
Elam, Marḫaši,
Gutium,
Subartu,
Amurru,
Sutium, or the Eanna Mountain".[8] The same inscription also recorded that he confronted Migir-Enlil, the governor (
ensi) of Marhashi, who had led a coalition of 13 rebel chiefs against him.[9]
It is also recorded that the
Awan kings of Elam were in conflict with a
Sumerian ruler's attempt to seize the market at Warakshe, a kingdom apparently near Elam on the Iranian plateau, rich in luxury products of all types, especially precious stones.
During the
Akkadian Empire, Parahshum ("Marhashi" in
Sumerian) was conquered by
Sargon the Great, and king
Abalgamash of Parahshum and his general Sidgau, along with Luh-ishan of Awan, rebelled unsuccessfully against
Rimush, while Hishep-ratep of Awan in alliance with Warakshe was defeated by
Naram-Sin.[10]
King
Shulgi of the
Ur-III dynasty gave his daughter Nialimmidashu in marriage to king Libanukshabash of Marhashi in his 18th year, in an attempt to forge an alliance, but this proved short-lived, for Shulgi's successor
Amar-Sin records having to campaign against their new king,
Arwilukpi.
Hammurabi of Babylonia's 30th year name was "Year Hammurabi the king, the mighty, the beloved of Marduk, drove away with the supreme power of the great gods the army of Elam who had gathered from the border of Marhashi,
Subartu, Gutium, Tupliash (
Eshnunna) and
Malgium who had come up in multitudes, and having defeated them in one campaign, he (Hammurabi) secured the foundations of Sumer and Akkad."
The name Marḫaši later reappears in a tablet from the
Neo-Babylonian Empire, where it designates an area north of the Tigris-Euphrates valley, perhaps in
Luristan, as conquered by
Nebuchadrezzar II.[11]
Rulers of Marhasi
The main rulers known from inscriptions are:[12][13] c. 2550–c.
Hubshumkibi (c. 2270 BC contemporary with
Naram-Sin king of
Akkad)
Unnamed King (c. 2080 BC)
Hashibatal (c. 2070 BC contemporary with
Shulgi king of
Ur)
Arvilukpi (c. 2050 BC contemporary with
Amar-Sin king of
Ur)
Pariashum (c. 2045 BC contemporary with
Amar-Sin king of
Ur)
Libanugshabash (2044–c. 2033 BC)
Mashhundahli (c. 2020 BC contemporary with
Ibbi-Sin king of
Ur)
Artifacts
"Abalgamash, King of Marhashi" (𒀀𒁀𒀠𒂵𒈦 𒈗 𒁀𒊏𒄴𒋳𒆠Abalgamash Lugal Paraahshum-ki) on one of the Rimush inscriptions (Louvre Museum, AO 5476)
Prisoner of the
Akkadian Empire, nude, fettered, drawn by nose ring, with pointed beard and vertical braid. Fragment of a vase possibly from
Warka, ancient
Uruk. Thought to depict a typical Marhasi.[14] 2350-2000 BCE,
Louvre Museum AO 5683.[15]
^The names of the 13 rebel chiefs in the inscription (as given by Guterbock) are: Migir-enlil,
ensi of Marhashi; Enlil-ezzu, ensi of [...]; SHESH-kel (?), ensi of Kel; Su-Anum, ensi of Kagalla (?); [...]-Ellum, ensi of Amdama; Ibi-mama, ensi of Ardama; Nurshu-eli, ensi of [...]; Adad-sharrum, ensi of [...]; Badganum, ensi of [...]; Zumurtanu, ensi of [...]; Rimshunu, ensi of [...]; Abi-han[ish?], ensi of [...]; and [...]-bi-maradda(?), ensi of [...]. in Chen, Yanli; Wu, Yuhong (25 September 2017).
"CDLJ 2017:1". Cuneiform Digital Library Journal. 2017 (1).
^Legrain, 1922; Cameron, 1936; D’yakonov, 1956; The Cambridge History of Iran; Hinz, 1972; The Cambridge Ancient History; Majidzadeh, 1991; Majidzadeh, 1997.