Lurestan in the context of "Khorramabad"

Elam (/ˈiːləm/) was an ancient civilization centered in the far west and southwest of Iran, stretching from the lowlands of what is now Khuzestan and Ilam Province as well as a small part of modern-day southern Iraq. The modern name Elam stems from the Sumerian transliteration elam(a), along with the later Akkadian elamtu, and the Elamite haltamti. Elamite states were among the leading political forces of the Ancient Near East. In classical literature, Elam was also known as Susiana (US: /ˌsuːʒiˈænə/ UK: /ˌsuːziˈɑːnə/; Ancient Greek: Σουσιανή Sousiānḗ), a name derived from its capital Susa.

Elam was part of the early urbanization of the Near East during the Chalcolithic period (Copper Age). The emergence of written records from around 3000 BC also parallels Sumerian history, where slightly earlier records have been found. In the Old Elamite period (Middle Bronze Age), Elam consisted of kingdoms on the Iranian plateau, centered in Anshan, and from the mid-2nd millennium BC, it was centered in Susa in the Khuzestan lowlands. Its culture played a crucial role during the Persian Achaemenid dynasty that succeeded Elam, when the Elamite language remained among those in official use. Elamite is generally considered a language isolate or unrelated to any other languages. According to Daniel T. Potts, Walther Hinz was less cautious in suggesting that the Elamites were ‘Proto-Lurs’ — that is, ancestors of the inhabitants of modern-day Lurestan in western Iran.

Elam (/ˈiːləm/) was an ancient civilization centered in the far west and southwest of Iran, stretching from the lowlands of Ilam and Khuzestan as well as a small part of modern-day southern Iraq. The modern name Elam stems from the Sumerian transliteration elam(a), along with the later Akkadian elamtu, and the Elamite haltamti. Elamite states were among the leading political forces of the Ancient Near East. In classical literature, Elam was also known as Susiana (US: /ˌsuːʒiˈænə/ UK: /ˌsuːziˈɑːnə/; Ancient Greek: Σουσιανή Sousiānḗ), a name derived from its capital Susa.

Elam was part of the early urbanization of the Near East during the Chalcolithic period (Copper Age). The emergence of written records from around 3000 BC also parallels Sumerian history, where slightly earlier records have been found. In the Old Elamite period (Middle Bronze Age), Elam consisted of kingdoms on the Iranian plateau, centered in Anshan, and from the mid-2nd millennium BC, it was centered in Susa in the Khuzestan lowlands. Its culture played a crucial role during the Persian Achaemenid dynasty that succeeded Elam, when the Elamite language remained among those in official use. Elamite is generally considered a language isolate or unrelated to any other languages. According to Daniel T. Potts, Walther Hinz was less cautious in suggesting that the Elamites were ‘Proto-Lurs’ — that is, ancestors of the inhabitants of modern-day Lurestan in western Iran.

Kabir Kuh (Persian: کبیرکوه; Kurdish: کڤەر -Kiver) is one of the long ranges of the Zagros Mountains near the border of Lurestan and Ilam provinces in Ilam province, Iran. Covering an area of 9,500 km (3,700 sq mi), Kabir Kuh stretches 175 km (109 mi) in length and 48–80 km (30–50 mi) in width along the Zagros Mountains in the northwest–southeast direction. It begins about 20 km (12 mi) south of Ilam and stretches down to the vicinity of Andimeshk in Khuzestan. Made mainly by Cretaceous sedimentary rocks, the Kabir Kuh range consists of a large number of mountains, including Shah Ahmad, Tabriz, Kaleh-bad, Filman, Damaghey-e Anar, Rivasan, Puneh, Sabzkhani, Zarrin, Golgol that are covered by snow and ice all year round. Its highest peak is Kan Seifi with 2,790 m (9,150 ft) elevation, 50 km (31 mi) south-east of Ilam. Kabir Kuh runs along the Seymareh River, which becomes Karkheh when joins the Kashkan river before reaching the border of Ilam province and Khuzestan province. Kabir Kuh divides the mountainous region in western Iran into two regions generally referred as Piškuh (eastern side) and Poštkuh (western side), the latter virtually coinciding with Ilam. In prehistoric times, one of the largest known landslides occurred on the north-eastern slope of Kabir Kouh, moving across the Seymareh River.

The eastern side is dominated by steep slopes where water and wooded valleys abound. The western side is, however, quite dry but rich in oil reservoirs and underground resources.