Nomadic tribes loom large throughout Iranian history (Beck 1986, 2003; Garthwaite 1983; Lambton 1953). Prior to the establishment by Reza Shah of a nation-state with a centralized administration, there existed a number of mobile tribes in Iran (Sykes 1930), of which the most numerous, most powerful, and most sociopolitically complex were the Qashqai and the Bakhtiyari. The Qashqai occupied the southeastern Zagros Mountains in the northwestern and central regions of Ears province (Beck 1986, 2003), while the Bakhtiyari occupied the central Zagros Mountains and eastern part of Khuzestan (Garthwaite 1983).
In many ways, these mobile tribes differ fundamentally from similar tribes in the Middle East. first, despite their biannual migrations, they spend only a fraction of the year on the move. In their summer pastures in high altitudes, the Qashqai and the Bakhtiyari occupy regions that consist of both small fertile valleys and lands not suitable for grain agriculture and are thus sparsely populated. At elevations between 1500-2500 m above sea level, these fertile intermontane plains vary in area from 20 to 60 square km. In their winter pastures in Ears and lowland Khuzestan, the Qashqai and Bakhtiyari tribes stay put for several months in heavily populated and agriculturally rich areas. The Bakhtiyari and Qashqai khans used to reside in the middle of some of the intermontane valleys in relatively modest fortified centers surrounded by tents and a few small villages. The ruined remnants of most of these fortified centers can still be seen in many regions in Iran.
The Qashqai and Bakhtiyari also owned permanent and semi-permanent villages with solid architecture in both their summer and, especially, winter territories, in close proximity to the settled farmers and urban centers (Beck1986: 187; Garrod 1946; Garthwaite 1983: 30; Lambton 1953: 289). In addition to villages with solid architecture, they also owned large tracts of agricultural lands. In both summer and winter territories, the nomads would secure the crops in their own villages or in makeshift storage bins (Black-Michaud 1974: 221; Garthwaite 1983: 21, 40; Hole 1978: 152; Lambton 1953: 283; Stack 1882: 68, 100; Stark 1934: 160; Varjavand 1967: 14-20). By farming in both the highlands and lowlands, therefore, the nomads not only took full advantage of their environment, but they also solved the difficult problem of transporting large quantities of grain while migrating. Numerous nomadic people practice some farming, but in southwestern and south-central Iran it is much more widespread, more productive, and less risky. In general, the practice of farming allows for a greater independence and flexibility in adapting to various environmental and political calamities that are inherent in the pastoral mode of production and way of life (Spooner 1972).
World History
