Editing Elamite language (section)

==History==
[[File:Naram-Sin stele inscription in Elamite.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|Inscription of [[Shutruk-Nahhunte]] in [[Elamite cuneiform]], circa 1150 BC, on the [[Victory Stele of Naram-Sin]].]]
The history of Elamite is periodised as follows:

* Old Elamite (c. 2600–1500 BC)
* Middle Elamite (c. 1500–1000 BC)
* Neo-Elamite (1000–550 BC)
* Achaemenid Elamite (550–330 BC)
* Late Elamite?
* Khuzi? (Unknown – 1000 AD)

Middle Elamite is considered the “classical” period of Elamite. The best-attested variety is Achaemenid Elamite,<ref name="Gragg 2009 316"/> which was widely used by the [[Achaemenid Empire]] for official inscriptions as well as administrative records and displays significant [[Old Persian]] influence.

[[Persepolis Administrative Archives]] were found at [[Persepolis]] in 1930s, and they are mostly in Elamite; the remains of more than 10,000 of these cuneiform documents have been uncovered. In comparison, [[Aramaic]] is represented by only 1,000 or so original records.<ref>[https://oi.uchicago.edu/research/projects/persepolis-fortification-archive Persepolis Fortification Archive.] Oriental Institute – The University of Chicago</ref> These documents represent administrative activity and data flow in Persepolis over more than fifty consecutive years (509 to 457 BC).

Documents from the Old Elamite and early Neo-Elamite stages are relatively scarce. Neo-Elamite is a transitional form in its structure between Middle and Achaemenid Elamite.

The Elamite language may have remained in widespread use after the Achaemenid period. Several rulers of [[Elymais]] bore the Elamite name ''Kamnaskires'' in the 2nd and 1st centuries BC. The ''[[Acts of the Apostles]]'' (c.&nbsp;80–90&nbsp;AD) mentions the language as if it was still current. There are no later direct references, but Elamite may be the local language in which, according to the [[Talmud]], the ''[[Book of Esther]]'' was recited annually to the [[History of the Jews in Iran|Jews of Susa]] in the [[Sasanian Empire]] (224–642). Between the 8th and 13th centuries AD, various [[Arabic]] authors refer to a language called ''Khūzī'' or ''Khūz'' spoken in [[Khuzistan]], which was unlike any other [[Iranian languages|Iranian language]] known to those writers. It is possible that it was "a late variant of Elamite".<ref>{{cite book|last=Tavernier |first=Jan |title=The Elamite Language}} in {{Harvnb|Álvarez-Mon|Basello|Wicks|2018|pages=421–422}}</ref>

The last original report on the ''Khūz'' language was written circa 988 by [[al-Maqdisi]], characterizing the Khuzi as bilingual in Arabic and Persian but also speaking an "incomprehensible" language in [[Ramhormoz]]. The city had recently become prosperous again after the foundation of a market when it received an influx of foreigners and being a Khuzi was stigmatized at the time. The language probably died in the 11th century.<ref>{{Harvnb|van Bladel|2021}}</ref> Later authors only mention the language when citing previous work.