Marhasi

Marhaši (Sumerian: Mar-ḫa-šiKi 𒈥𒄩𒅆𒆠, Marhashi, Marhasi, Parhasi, Barhasi; in earlier sources Waraḫše) was an important ancient Near East polity situated in the region near Elam.

[10] The final Ur III ruler, Ibbi-Sin, in a text reports fashioning for the god Nanna "an image of a Meluhhan speckled "dog" that had been brought to him as tribute from Marhasi.

[14] The name Marḫaši may appear in a damaged tablet where it designates an area to the north and east conquered by Neo-Babylonian Empire ruler Nebuchadrezzar II (605–562 BC) though that restoration is uncertain.

[15] In the purely literary Sumerian text The Cursing of Akkad, composed during the later Ur III period and which blamed the fall of civilization on the Akkadian Empire, it lists are one of the benefits of having the blessing of Inanna "That even Marhaši would be reentered on the (tribute) rolls".

[17] In the Sumerian royal hymn for Ishbi-Erra (c. 2017— 1986 BC) ruler of the city-state Isin in the Isin-Larsa period it states "From Basime on the sea-coast (...) to the border of; from Urua, the bolt of Elam (...) to the border of Marhaäi" as being the territory of Šimaški ruler Kindattu, where Urua - Marhasi defines an east–west axis and Bašime (Pashime|Pašime) - Zabsali defines a south to north axis.

[18] In a much later Old Babylonian period Sumerian literary composition the Early Dynastic period Lugal-Anne-Mundu of Adab mentions Marhaši 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".

He brought their silver and lapis-lazuli, their treasure, to Enlil, king of all the lands, in Nibru"[22][23] Early on Marhaši was speculated to be east of the Diyala river and in the mountains northwest or north of Elam.

[24][25] This was based on an inscription of a little known early Old Babylonian period ruler of Der, Ilum-muttabbil, who claimed defeating the armies of Anshan, Elam, and Simaski, in alliance with Marhaši.

[26] In modern times the consensus has shifted to a location on the eastern side of the Iranian plateau (holding Susa and Anshan), acting as an intermediate between Mesopotamia and Meluhha further to the east.