(2013) Some thoughts on the mode of culture change in the fourth-millennium BC Iranian highlands (original) (raw)

The emergence of complex urban societies in the Iranian highlands during the Proto-Elamite period is critically examined, highlighting the issues in defining the Proto-Elamite culture. The paper discusses the archaeological findings from various sites such as Susa, Tepe Yahya, and Tal-e Malyan, illustrating the characteristics of urbanization, administrative systems, and specialized production. Key comparisons to Mesopotamian developments, particularly the city of Uruk, are made to underscore the processes of culture change and state formation in the fourth millennium BC.