Напир Асу: Эламитская царица и ее бронзовая статуя

Elamite queen

Napir Asu (fl. 14th century BCE) was an Elamite queen, who was the wife of King Untash Napirisha. A statue of her by the bronzeworkers of Susa is one of the finest examples of bronze metal working to be discovered.

It is likely that Napir Asu corresponds to the daughter of the Babylonian Burnaburiash (perhaps the king Burna Buraish II) married by Untash Napirisha. A statue of the god Immiriya in Chogha Zanbil was dedicated by Napir Asu's husband Untash Napirisha to his father in law Burnaburiash. There is a letter that has survived which describes Untash Napirisha marrying a daughter of a Burna Buraish. However there is some debate as to whether the Burna Burnish in the letter is in fact the king, or a later descendant. Nevertheless it does appear that Napir Asu was the first Elamite royal woman to be depicted on a limestone stele with her husband. She appears to also be the first Elamite queen whose name is inscribed on her body in statue form. The stele depicts Napir Asu, Untash Napirisha and his mother, the priestess Utik.

In 1903 archaeologist Jacques de Morgan, working as part of the Délégation scientifique française en Perse, discovered a 130cm high statue, made of a bronze core, covered by a layer of copper, with cast and chased decoration, weighing 1750kg. It was found in the upper rooms of the temple of Ninhursag in Susa. The statue was originally created with a series of processes that enabled the casting of its core and creation of its surface. The copper shell was created first by building a core of clay and bricks, which was then covered in wax, into which designs were made, followed by encasement in another layer of clay. Heated, so that the wax melted away, copper was then poured into the mould. Once the copper was cooled, the clay core was removed and layers of bronze were poured into the hollow of the body. The statue's decorations are an important source for the study of Elamite textiles and clothing. On the fringed skirt of this statue, the names of the queen and the great gods of Susa are engraved in Elamite cuneiform. There is a ring on the queen's left hand, which is probably her wedding ring. In 1993 the statue, alongside other works from the Louvre, was loaned to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for exhibition. It is recognised as a masterpiece of Elamite art.