ELAMTU: ELAM ADI VE ELAM TOPRAKLARI ÇERÇEVESİNDE MODERN GÜNEYBATI İRAN’IN COĞRAFİ KİMLİĞİ.

Elamite Kingdom, which takes its name from the rugged and high geography it reigns, is expressed in cuneiform sources with “Elamtu” meaning “High Land” and its derivative words. The Elamite Kingdom ruled between 3rd-1st millennium BC in the geography known as Southwestern Iran, which includes the Khuzestan, Fars, Luristan, Kerman and Senendaj regions of today's Iran. Considering the cities of Susa and Anshan, which were the capitals of the kingdom, the provinces of Khuzestan and Fars formed the core region of Elamite. Southwestern Iran is a geography rich in landforms and natural resources, where high mountains and wide plains, especially the Zagros Mountains and the Khuzestan Plain, coexist, along with lakes such as Bakhtegan and Maharloo as well as rivers such as Karun and Karkheh. The region, which is adjacent to Mesopotamia, hosts to different climates and plant species. In the region where the arid climate prevails in places, while the high parts are partially covered with trees, the steppe vegetation comes to the fore in the plains. All these geographical factors allow the Southwestern Iran geography to be characterized as a mosaic structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]