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Abstract
The aim of this article is to understand the vernacular architecture of southern
Zagros. In explaining the necessity of the matter, we mention the following points:
1- Lack of research in this regard.
2- Development of settlements architecture.
In these regions as a result of historical background of settlements in Zagros realm,
vernacular characteristics have affected the form of permanent settlements in the
cold regions and space formations, space divisions and space proportions represent
a outward-facing architecture by making spaces dimensions as small as possible.
While in a warm climate, vernacular characteristic effects on the tribe's temporary
settlements represent a natural and outward-facing architecture.
Introduction
The Iranian central plateau in the west is separated from Mesopotamia plain
by Zagros mountain ranges folds. Zagros slopes have provided conditions
for people to settle permanently and have accommodated old civilizations
within themselves. Meanwhile, the traditional architecture, because of its
slow growth and development of technology during the years, has been able
to have a united language, due to regional, cultural, and religious similarities
of this region residents and has been able to represent contiuum concepts in
religion, culture, and tradition of its era (Falamki, 2005).This article tries to
find this relation and to recognize the settlements in Lorestan and north of
Khuzestan provinces. Therefor it has chosen two regions as samples. After
knowing the reason for selecting the topic, another important issue is
appropriate methods for gathering information and research. In order to
recognize and to get more acquainted with vernacular features of those
areas, in addition to using available books, being present among residents
and talking to them are other useful methods for getting information. The
second step is the quantitative and qualitative analysis of settlements that
reveals the relations between building frame and local features. Studying the
connoisseurs opinions about the manner of formation of these relations,
along with physical presence in the areas and shooting pictures were the
methods that have been used.
Experiment
In this part, we will deal with some main matters: Information about the
Zagros mountain reange and places that have been studied.
Zagros
The interior plains of Iran are almost surrounded by mountains. The most
mountainous system of Iran, the Zagros mountain range, extends from near
the northwest border of Iran and Turkey, along with Iraq's border to Persian
Gulf–1500 km length and 400 km width. Zagros mountain range includes
rugged mountains, forest, snow covered mountains in the northwest with
many volcanic cones, big rivers, lakes (like Oromie lake) and also parallel
eminence and valley of central part. The north part of Zagros is very
populated and its fertile valleys are used for agricultural purposes. In the
high regions of central section, you can see shepherds doing their duties as
their ancestors have done in the past. In the southeast of Zagros, dates and
grains are grown on villages. Kords1, Lors2, Bakhtiaris3, Qhashghaeis4 and
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other tribes live over the mountains. Iran's oil platforms are located along
the west slopes of west Zagros.Severe climate changes that are seen in
Zagros , are mostly caused by high altitudes (http://Zagros.ir).
Studied Regions
1- Sangtarashan village is the selected region in Lorestan province. It is near
Khorramabad. This village is a historical one and has a remarkable
background from a habitation points of view. Discovered ancient objects are
being kept in the Khorramabad museum. The village has been built on the
eastern slopes of Zagros in the form of steps. Presence of Lori culture and
almost similar climate in the eastern area of Zagros (limited to Lorestan
province) are the main reasons for choosing this village as the studying area.
You can see its exponent on figure 1. From the climate point of view, this
village is located in a cold and mountainous region.
Figure 1: Sangtarashan Village
2- Next region is allocated to immigrant tribes of north Khuzestan.
According to the climatic and geographical conditions of Iran land, nomadic
life along with migration have a long historical background in Iran and in
addition to it for a century ago, tribes formed the major part of the country's
population. Khuzestan province’s population is the combination of tribes of
some other provinces that immigrate to this province to spend the winter
quarters period. In Iran, tribes are the populations that have tribal affiliation
and their lives are based on pastoral jobs. They inclue nomads, half nomads
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and herdsmen. Nomads are the people who do not have a fixed
accommodation in the summer quarter, has a little dependence on farms and
whose agriculture is dry forming and whose realm is located on the rim
lands of inhabitants. The reason for choosing tribes and studying their life
style and their special accommodations is that they are unique, because in
the north of Khuzestan, as a result of hot weather of middle seasons of the
year, architecture frame is like hot and wet climates and tribes are the only
people that build their dwellings different from others. In this region we
consider temporary settlements of tribes (black tent). In Figure 2, you can
see the sight of their presence in the environment while they are moving in
the hot and slightly wet climate. The climate conditions are available in
Table 1 (Morteza Kasmai, 2006)
Table 1: Weather conditions
City
High(c)
Low(c)
Number of days
frozen
Khorramabad
39.7
0.7
35.2
Dezfool
(North of khuzestan)
45.5
5.7
4
Study of geographical, cultural and social characteristics
1- Lorestan province is one of the western provinces of Iran. Lorestan is a
mountainous land and except several plains, Zagros mountains cover all of
it. This region is one of men's old settlements and Lorestan bronze is famous
from an archaeological point of view. The ancient vestiges that have been
found in the caves and the valleys of Lorestan province, represents the men's
settlements in this region from at least 4000 years ago (P.Marzban. 2007).
Kasies5 were vernacular habitants of Lorestan, that lived there before
Maads’6 arrivals. They also had migrated to current Lorestan and Hamedan
from northern regions and founded the Kasies land. The ancient and
prehistory vestiges show the background of tribes in the western part of this
province more than its eastern part. Lors are the major habitants of Lorestan
that live in many cities and villages of current Lorestan. This province
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because of its large mountains and numerous pastures was the residences of
people whose main occupation was husbandry from many years ago.
Therefore tribal structure have been very important in this province.
2- Khuzestan province has been located in the southwest of country.
Figure 2: Black tents
Geographical area includes mountainous regions that are located in the north
and northeast of the province and are parts of Zagros mountain range, that
its altitude gradually decreases toward plain. Khuzestan climate is moderate
and cold at high altitudes, semi-desert at the foot of a mountain and semidesert to desert climate at plain areas (Culture of Ilam, 2004). This climate
and geography has prepared a proper ground for nomadic life. Tribal life
based on the traditional animal husbandry along with migration is a kind of
social life and generative organization, that its basic way of life is using
animal livestock products, migration and man dislocation in order to use
natural pastures in summer quarters and winter quarters and avoiding the
sever cold and hot weather (www.ashayer.ir). "Nomads" constitute one of
the migratory groups. Migratory tribes are societies that at least have three
traits:
1- Social structure based on tribal hierarchy.
2- The living is mainly relied on husbandry.
3- The lifestyle is based on migration.
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Discussion and Result Analysis
At first it is necessary to explain that we divide the discussions in this part
into two main categories. The first section: The building frame, atmosphere
and architectural spaces include 3 main discussions :
1- spaces formation trend
2- spaces division
3- spatial proportions
After spaces discussion, there have been some points about knowing
buildings frames and then cases affecting them that are really the effects of
vernacular traits on architecture frames, which form the relations between
settlements and the environment and used materials in two main categories
(Zargar, 2006).
1- In this part we are going to deal with the cases that have been mentioned
about the Sangtarashan village. The trend of formation of available spaces in
the settlements of that village is affected by social traits and cultural
components of their small community (Abadi, 2008). In the following,
along with enumerating the constitutive spaces of building, the main reasons
will also be mentioned. Explanation of spaces is according to their order of
access. At first we deal with the entrance that makes the direct relation
between the building and the enviroment around it. Establishing such a
relation indicates the connection between the residents and nature. This
relation is so strong and critical that is represented in their architecture. In
figure 3, there is a sight of a building. Kitchen is outside of the building,
next to the entrance, the same as the other parts of the country forage
warehouse, in order to feed the livestock, constitutes another part of the
home that you can see it before entering the building. By entering the
building, two main spaces, constitute a traditional settlements in this village.
Public space (living room) and private space (bedroom) at the end and at the
other side of the building. There are pens, that totally constitue five spaces
of the buildings. Spaces division in the settlements of Sangtarashan village
is influenced by cultural and social traits that dominate the Lors tribes.
Relations that are dominant in social relations are originated from dominant
culture that is based on both racial character and religious beliefs. They have
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deep effects on demarcating between spaces . Efforts for protecting privacy
lead to the formation of inside and outside spaces, although, their seperation
is not as perfect as Iranian desert architecture (Pope, 2005). Another
considered item was spatial proportions, that is usually influenced by region
climate and due to the cold and mountainous climate of Lorestan and the
poor economical conditions of Sangtarashan people, use the minimum
needed spatial sizes in comparison to the family population. The reason is
that supplying necessary heat in the winter is very expensive.
Figure 3: A House in Sangtarashan Village
We can see that they make their houses, doors and windows as small as
possible. Because of climate conditions, materials that are used at these
places are local ones and include stones, mud bricks and woods. Stone is the
building component in the village buildings. Mud is used as a mortar to
stick stones together and to coat inside the buildings and on the roof. The
building relation to the environment is made possible via a stone platform
that is made to protect the building against the flood.
2- Black tents are the traditional settlements of migrating tribes (figure 4).
And in their culture, the black tents represent the migratory tribes dignity
and glory. Tribal black tents are made from goat fur, because cold weather
can not penetrate into them. Tribe women boil goat black hair in hot water
and after spinning, pound it and make it in the form of 3-5 milimeter sheets.
After making the black tent, they use 3 vertical rolling pins and one main
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rolling pin and one nail and one stone to set up the black tent. For several
reasons, using goat black fur for making the black tents is important. First,
goat fur does not let the rain water pass and usually rain water does not pass
through its walls. Second, goat fur is easy to prepare and is cheap, each
family usually has 20-25 goats, so the family can use their fur to make a
black tent. Third, goats fur is light and in comparison to tarpolin tents is
easier to collect and carry (www.ashayer.ir). In the sunny days of summer,
taking a nap in the tent shadow is very joyful. Each black tent is made of
several "LAT" and each lat is a roll that is woven of goat fur and is part of
the black tent. After wearing lats, women sew them from both sides until
they form it as a black tent. According to the migratory people life, within
the nature, they have a naturalist temperament in a way that its all parts have
been mixed with the nature. Black tent is the only thing between them and
environment around them. Therefore causes the formation of a primary and
simple life environment that is close to nature. Black tent as a shelter,
protects them against the severe climate conditions and other problems that
exist in the nature.
Figure 4: Migratory tribe
Conclusion
 Spaces formation in Sangtarashan village is based on cultural, social,
economical, tribal and religious traits.
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 Cultural, tribal and religious traits have caused the spatial demarcating and
therefore the formation of private and public sanctums in the buildings.
 Cold and mountainous climate of Sangtarashan village has created a
outward-facing architecture.
 Social, economical and climate traits of Sangtarashan village has directly
influenced the spatial proportions so that, because of the absence of
economic ability to provide required heat during cold seasons, sizes and
aspects of building to become smaller.
 Used materials are stone, mud brick and wood in Sangtarashan village.
 Temporary settlements -black tents- are outputs of tribes naturalist lives.
 Spatial formation at tribes traditional settlements – black tent – is very
simple and primary and is just a screen between tribes people and nature,
and protect them against the present problems in the nature.
 Spatial proportions at black tents include the least amounts and meets tribe
people requirements
 Naturalistic habits of tribe people has directly affected their settlements
and represent an increasing outward-facing architecture.
Acknowledgments
Hereby I want to thank my students at Islamic Azad University, Andimeshk
branch. They suggested that area and took the photos. They also gathered
some information about this topic.
Also I want to appreciate my friend's efforts, Mr. Alireza Sedaghatnia. He
helped me in translating and revising the article.
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1Footnote
1- One of Iranain tribes that lives in Kordestan province.
2- One of Iranain tribes that lives in Lorestan province.
3- One of Iranain tribes that lives in Khozestan province and migrate.
4- One of Iranain tribes that lives in Fars province.
5- One of Iranain tribes that lived centuries ago in the current Lorestan.
6- One of Iranain tribes that lived 700 BD in the middle of Iran
References
 M.M.Falamki. 2005.Vernacular Architecture , FAZA scientific and cultural institute
 Akbar Zargar. 2006. An Introduction to the Iranian Rural Architecture, Shahid Beheshti University
 Morteza Kasmai. 2006. Climate & Architecture, Khaak publication
 A.U.Pope. 2005. Persian Architecture, Akhtaran Publication
 P.Marzban. 2007. A summary of the History of Art scientific and cultural publications
 Abadi.2008.Quarterly Journal of Architecture and Urbanism, vol 18, no 59
 Culture of Ilam. 2004. Quarterly Journal of Culture Of Ilam, no.16 & 17
 www.ashayer.ir
 http://daneshnameh.roshd.ir
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