Šuwar-Asu: An Indo-Iranian Solar Goddess in an Elamized Middle Bronze Age Context

This article presents a detailed analysis of the Linear Elamite inscription found on the silver cup from Marvdasht, deciphered by François Desset, which mentions the deity Šuwar-Asu. We argue that Šuwar-Asu represents a solar goddess of Indo-Iranian origin who underwent an Elamized adaptation. The first element, Šuwar, exhibits clear linguistic and religio-cultural affinities with Indo-Iranian traditions, particularly with the Indo-Aryan substratum present in the Hurrian–Mitanni onomastic zone. Parallels such as Šuwardata and Šuwar-ḫepa are discussed. The second element, Asu, aligns with Elamite name-formation conventions for female deities, akin to Napir-Asu, signifying "lady of the god X." The inscription’s dedication to the "Lady of Marapsha" suggests a specific geographic location in ancient Fars, potentially linked to classical toponyms like Marapioi and Marhasium. Furthermore, we explore the cultural transmission of this Indo-Iranian concept through potential channels of influence, including connections with the Bactria–Margiana Archaeological Complex (BMAC), as suggested by archaeological evidence. This interdisciplinary approach, synthesizing linguistic, historical, and archaeological data, aims to illuminate the complex cultural interactions of the ancient Near East and shed light on the syncretic nature of religious beliefs in Elam.

کلیدواژه ها:

: Šuwar-Asu ، Solar Goddess ، Elam ، Linear Elamite ، Indo-Iranian Onomastics Introduction