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Arasbaran ( fa, ارسباران ''Arasbârân'') or shortened to Arasbar ( fa, ارسبار ''Arasbâr''), meaning "The Banks of the Aras/Araxes river," also known as "Qaradagh" or "Karadagh" ( az, Qaradağ / , meaning "Black mountain"), or "Qaraja dagh" or "Karaja dagh" ( az, Qaracadağ / , meaning "Black mountain"), is a large mountainous area stretching from the Qūshā Dāgh massif, south of
Ahar Ahar ( fa, italic=yes, اهر, az, اهر) is a city and capital of Ahar County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. According to the 2016 census, Ahar was the fourth most populated city of the province with a population of 100,641 in 20,844 fam ...
, to the
Aras River , az, Araz, fa, ارس, tr, Aras The Aras (also known as the Araks, Arax, Araxes, or Araz) is a river in the Caucasus. It rises in eastern Turkey and flows along the borders between Turkey and Armenia, between Turkey and the Nakhchivan excl ...
in
East Azerbaijan Province East Azerbaijan Province ( fa, استان آذربایجان شرقی ''Āzarbāijān-e Sharqi''; az-Arab, شرقی آذربایجان اوستانی) is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It is located in Iranian Azerbaijan, bordering Armenia, ...
of
Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
. The region is confined to
Aras River , az, Araz, fa, ارس, tr, Aras The Aras (also known as the Araks, Arax, Araxes, or Araz) is a river in the Caucasus. It rises in eastern Turkey and flows along the borders between Turkey and Armenia, between Turkey and the Nakhchivan excl ...
in the north,
Meshgin Shahr County Meshgin Shahr County ( fa, شهرستان مشگین‌شهر) is located in Ardabil province, Iran. The capital of the county is Meshginshahr Meshgin Shahr ( fa, مشگين شهر, also Romanized as Meshgīn Shahr; also known as Meshkīn Sha ...
and Moghan in the east,
Sarab County Sarab County ( fa, شهرستان سراب) is in East Azerbaijan province, Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey t ...
in the south, and
Tabriz Tabriz ( fa, تبریز ; ) is a city in northwestern Iran, serving as the capital of East Azerbaijan Province. It is the List of largest cities of Iran, sixth-most-populous city in Iran. In the Quri Chay, Quru River valley in Iran's historic Aze ...
and
Marand Marand ( fa, مرند; ; also Romanized as Morand) is a city and capital of Marand County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. Marand is among major cities in the province. It is located in the north-west of capital of the province Tabriz. Marand ha ...
counties in the west. Since 1976,
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
has registered 72,460 hectares of the region, confined to 38°40' to 39°08'N and 46°39' to 47°02'E, as
biosphere reserve A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or o ...
with the following general description:


History

In antiquity, this region was inhabited by the
Alarodians Alarodians (Ancient Greek: Ἀλαρόδιοι (Alarodioi)) were tribe living in Northern Persia or Armenia during Classical antiquity. According to Herodotus, the Alarodians were part of the 18th Satrapy of the Achaemenid Empire and formed a sp ...
and
Caspian Caspian can refer to: *The Caspian Sea *The Caspian Depression, surrounding the northern part of the Caspian Sea *The Caspians, the ancient people living near the Caspian Sea *Caspian languages, collection of languages and dialects of Caspian peopl ...
tribes. Then this area became alternately part of the
Medes The Medes (Old Persian: ; Akkadian: , ; Ancient Greek: ; Latin: ) were an ancient Iranian people who spoke the Median language and who inhabited an area known as Media between western and northern Iran. Around the 11th century BC, the ...
and
Persia Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
. In the 2nd century B.C. the region became part of the
Armenian kingdom The Kingdom of Armenia, also the Kingdom of Greater Armenia, or simply Greater Armenia ( hy, Մեծ Հայք '; la, Armenia Maior), sometimes referred to as the Armenian Empire, was a monarchy in the Ancient Near East which existed from 331 BC ...
, where the Armenian principality Parspatunik was established, which existed until the 6th century A.D. Small Armenian melikdoms of Karadagh (Arasbaran) remained until the Turkish invasion of 1918. The Armenian population is preserved in the mountains of Arasbaran(Karadagh) in modern day. There is no mention of Arasbaran as a geo-political entity in written sources dating prior to
Safavid Safavid Iran or Safavid Persia (), also referred to as the Safavid Empire, '. was one of the greatest Iranian empires after the 7th-century Muslim conquest of Persia, which was ruled from 1501 to 1736 by the Safavid dynasty. It is often conside ...
era. There is a speculation that the region referred to as Syah Kuh by the 10th-century Muslim geographer,
Ibn Hawqal Muḥammad Abū’l-Qāsim Ibn Ḥawqal (), also known as Abū al-Qāsim b. ʻAlī Ibn Ḥawqal al-Naṣībī, born in Nisibis, Upper Mesopotamia; was a 10th-century Arab Muslim writer, geographer, and chronicler who travelled during the ye ...
, corresponds to the present day Arasbaran. However, the said Syahkoh has more similarities with Manghishlaq in the eastern shores of
Caspian Sea The Caspian Sea is the world's largest inland body of water, often described as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea. An endorheic basin, it lies between Europe and Asia; east of the Caucasus, west of the broad steppe of Central Asia ...
. Therefore, Arasbaran's history should be considered in the context of its two main towns,
Ahar Ahar ( fa, italic=yes, اهر, az, اهر) is a city and capital of Ahar County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. According to the 2016 census, Ahar was the fourth most populated city of the province with a population of 100,641 in 20,844 fam ...
and
Kaleybar Kaleybar ( fa, كليبر) ( az, كليبر); also Romanized as Kalībar, Kalipar, Keleibar, and Keleivar) is a city and capital of Kaleybar County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. According to the 2006 census, Kaleybar, with a popula ...
.
Kaleybar Kaleybar ( fa, كليبر) ( az, كليبر); also Romanized as Kalībar, Kalipar, Keleibar, and Keleivar) is a city and capital of Kaleybar County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. According to the 2006 census, Kaleybar, with a popula ...
, formerly known as bedh, was the stronghold of
Babak Khorramdin , native_name_lang = , birth_date = 795 or 798 , birth_place = Ardabil, Abbasid Caliphate , spouse = Banu , death_date = probably 7 January 838 (age 40 or 43) , death_place = Samarra, Abbasid Caliphate , years_active ...
who, in 816 AD, revolted against Islamic
Caliphate A caliphate or khilāfah ( ar, خِلَافَة, ) is an institution or public office under the leadership of an Islamic steward with the title of caliph (; ar, خَلِيفَة , ), a person considered a political-religious successor to th ...
and was defeated in 836 AD. The events of the two decades long tumultuous times have been extensively reported by Islamic historians of the epoch. The first report is by
Al-Masudi Al-Mas'udi ( ar, أَبُو ٱلْحَسَن عَلِيّ ٱبْن ٱلْحُسَيْن ٱبْن عَلِيّ ٱلْمَسْعُودِيّ, '; –956) was an Arab historian, geographer and traveler. He is sometimes referred to as the "Herodotus ...
in
The Meadows of Gold ''Meadows of Gold and Mines of Gems'' ( ar, مُرُوج ٱلذَّهَب وَمَعَادِن ٱلْجَوْهَر, ') is a book of history in Arabic of the beginning of the world starting with Adam and Eve up to and through the late Abbasid Cal ...
: ''Babak revolted in Bedh region with the disciples of Djavidan'' ... ''Following a series of defeats Babak was blockaded in his native town..., which even now is known as Babak's countr''y.
Ibn Athir Ibn Athīr is the family name of three brothers, all famous in Arabic literature, born at Jazīrat ibn Umar (today's ''Cizre'' nowadays in south-eastern Turkey) in upper Mesopotamia. The ibn al-Athir brothers belonged to the Shayban lineage of the ...
in his book,
The Complete History ''The Complete History'' (, ''al-Kāmil fit-Tārīkh)'', is a classic Islamic history book written by Ali ibn al-Athir. Composed in ca. 1231AD/628AH, it is one of the most important Islamic historical works. Ibn al-Athir was a contemporary and memb ...
, has devoted many pages to the description of battles.
Yaqut al-Hamawi Yāqūt Shihāb al-Dīn ibn-ʿAbdullāh al-Rūmī al-Ḥamawī (1179–1229) ( ar, ياقوت الحموي الرومي) was a Muslim scholar of Byzantine Greek ancestry active during the late Abbasid period (12th-13th centuries). He is known fo ...
, writing in early thirteenth century, describes
Kaleybar Kaleybar ( fa, كليبر) ( az, كليبر); also Romanized as Kalībar, Kalipar, Keleibar, and Keleivar) is a city and capital of Kaleybar County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. According to the 2006 census, Kaleybar, with a popula ...
in the following words, ''County between Azerbaijan and Erran.... This county produces pomegranates of incomparable beauty, excellent figs and grapes that are dried on fires (because the sun is always obscured by thick clouds).'' In the 12th-13th centuries,
Ahar Ahar ( fa, italic=yes, اهر, az, اهر) is a city and capital of Ahar County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. According to the 2016 census, Ahar was the fourth most populated city of the province with a population of 100,641 in 20,844 fam ...
was a minor and short-lived, but prosperous
emirate An emirate is a territory ruled by an emir, a title used by monarchs or high officeholders in the Muslim world. From a historical point of view, an emirate is a political-religious unit smaller than a caliphate. It can be considered equivalen ...
ruled by the
Pishteginid dynasty The Pishteginids (Bishkinids, Pishkinids) were a dynasty of maliks in Iran which ruled, from 1155 to 1231, Ahar and its adjacent district as vassals to the Shaddadids of Arran. The family descended from a Georgian nobleman captured by the Seljuqi ...
of
Georgian Georgian may refer to: Common meanings * Anything related to, or originating from Georgia (country) ** Georgians, an indigenous Caucasian ethnic group ** Georgian language, a Kartvelian language spoken by Georgians **Georgian scripts, three scrip ...
origin (1155—1231).
Yaqut al-Hamawi Yāqūt Shihāb al-Dīn ibn-ʿAbdullāh al-Rūmī al-Ḥamawī (1179–1229) ( ar, ياقوت الحموي الرومي) was a Muslim scholar of Byzantine Greek ancestry active during the late Abbasid period (12th-13th centuries). He is known fo ...
, describes Ahar as ''very flourishing despite its small extent''. Both towns lost most of their importance during the rule of
Ilkhanate The Ilkhanate, also spelled Il-khanate ( fa, ایل خانان, ''Ilxānān''), known to the Mongols as ''Hülegü Ulus'' (, ''Qulug-un Ulus''), was a khanate established from the southwestern sector of the Mongol Empire. The Ilkhanid realm, ...
.
Hamdallah Mustawfi Hamdallah Mustawfi Qazvini ( fa, حمدالله مستوفى قزوینی, Ḥamdallāh Mustawfī Qazvīnī; 1281 – after 1339/40) was a Persian official, historian, geographer and poet. He lived during the last era of the Mongol Ilkhanate, and ...
, writing in the-mid fourteenth century, describes
Ahar Ahar ( fa, italic=yes, اهر, az, اهر) is a city and capital of Ahar County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. According to the 2016 census, Ahar was the fourth most populated city of the province with a population of 100,641 in 20,844 fam ...
as "a little town", and
Kaleybar Kaleybar ( fa, كليبر) ( az, كليبر); also Romanized as Kalībar, Kalipar, Keleibar, and Keleivar) is a city and capital of Kaleybar County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. According to the 2006 census, Kaleybar, with a popula ...
as "A village of Azerbaijan, in the woods near a mountain which comprises a fortress".
Ahar Ahar ( fa, italic=yes, اهر, az, اهر) is a city and capital of Ahar County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. According to the 2016 census, Ahar was the fourth most populated city of the province with a population of 100,641 in 20,844 fam ...
was in the focus of
Safavid dynasty The Safavid dynasty (; fa, دودمان صفوی, Dudmâne Safavi, ) was one of Iran's most significant ruling dynasties reigning from 1501 to 1736. Their rule is often considered the beginning of modern Iranian history, as well as one of th ...
's agenda for casting of
Azerbaijan Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of th ...
as a
Safavid Safavid Iran or Safavid Persia (), also referred to as the Safavid Empire, '. was one of the greatest Iranian empires after the 7th-century Muslim conquest of Persia, which was ruled from 1501 to 1736 by the Safavid dynasty. It is often conside ...
dominion. Thus, Shah Abbas rebuilt the mausoleum of Sheikh Sheikh Shihab-al-din in Ahar. In 1604, as Ottoman forces threatened the area directly to the north of Arasbaran during the
Ottoman–Safavid War (1603–1618) The Ottoman–Safavid War of 1603–1618 consisted of two wars between Safavid Persia under Abbas I of Persia and the Ottoman Empire under Sultans Mehmed III, Ahmed I, and Mustafa I. The first war began in 1603 and ended with a Safavid victo ...
, Shah Abbas ordered Maqsud Sultan to evacuate the entire population of the Nakhichevan region (including the
Armenians Armenians ( hy, հայեր, ''hayer'' ) are an ethnic group native to the Armenian highlands of Western Asia. Armenians constitute the main population of Armenia and the ''de facto'' independent Artsakh. There is a wide-ranging diaspora ...
of Jolfa, who, in the following year, were transplanted to
Isfahan Isfahan ( fa, اصفهان, Esfahân ), from its Achaemenid empire, ancient designation ''Aspadana'' and, later, ''Spahan'' in Sassanian Empire, middle Persian, rendered in English as ''Ispahan'', is a major city in the Greater Isfahan Regio ...
) to Arasbaran and Dezmar. Arasbaran region suffered enormously during
Russo-Persian War (1804–1813) The 1804–1813 Russo-Persian War was one of the many wars between the Persian Empire and Imperial Russia, and began like many of their wars as a territorial dispute. The new Persian king, Fath Ali Shah Qajar, wanted to consolidate the northe ...
and
Russo-Persian War (1826–1828) The Russo-Persian War of 1826–1828 was the last major military conflict between the Russian Empire and Persia. After the Treaty of Gulistan that concluded the previous Russo-Persian War in 1813, peace reigned in the Caucasus for thirteen y ...
due to its proximity to the war zone. Western travellers in 1837–1843 period had found
Ahar Ahar ( fa, italic=yes, اهر, az, اهر) is a city and capital of Ahar County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. According to the 2016 census, Ahar was the fourth most populated city of the province with a population of 100,641 in 20,844 fam ...
, a city with around 700 households, in wretched condition. Arasbaran was one of the epicentres of
Persian Constitutional Revolution The Persian Constitutional Revolution ( fa, مشروطیت, Mashrūtiyyat, or ''Enghelāb-e Mashrūteh''), also known as the Constitutional Revolution of Iran, took place between 1905 and 1911. The revolution led to the establishment of a par ...
. Arasbaran tribes were heavily involved in armed conflicts; the revolutionary and anti-revolutionary camps were headed, respectively, by
Sattar Khan Sattar Khan ( fa, ستارخان, , October 20, 1866 – November 17, 1914), honorarily titled Sardār-e Melli ( fa, سردار ملی meaning ''National Commander'') was a pivotal figure in the Iranian Constitutional Revolution and is considered ...
and
Rahimkhan Chalabianloo Rahimkhan Chalabianloo or Rahim Khan Chalabianlu, was a government official in power around the turn of the 19th century in Iran. He was from the Chalabianlu (tribe), Chalabianlu tribe and executed in 1911. Biography According to the official do ...
, both from Qaradağ region. When in 1925
Rezā Shāh , , spouse = Maryam Savadkoohi Tadj ol-Molouk Ayromlu (queen consort)Turan AmirsoleimaniEsmat Dowlatshahi , issue = Princess Hamdamsaltaneh Princess ShamsMohammad Reza Shah Princess Ashraf Prince Ali Reza Prince Gholam Reza Prin ...
deposed
Ahmad Shah Qajar Ahmad Shah Qajar ( fa, احمد شاه قاجار; 21 January 1898 – 21 February 1930) was Shah of Persia (Iran) from 16 July 1909 to 15 December 1925, and the last ruling member of the Qajar dynasty. Ahmad Shah was born in Tabriz on 21 Janu ...
and founded the
Pahlavi dynasty The Pahlavi dynasty ( fa, دودمان پهلوی) was the last Iranian royal dynasty, ruling for almost 54 years between 1925 and 1979. The dynasty was founded by Reza Shah Pahlavi, a non-aristocratic Mazanderani soldier in modern times, who ...
, Arasbaran's gradual decline started. The new king insisting on cultural and
ethnic An ethnic group or an ethnicity is a grouping of people who identify with each other on the basis of shared attributes that distinguish them from other groups. Those attributes can include common sets of traditions, ancestry, language, history, ...
nationalism Nationalism is an idea and movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the State (polity), state. As a movement, nationalism tends to promote the interests of a particular nation (as in a in-group and out-group, group of peo ...
, and implemented a policy of cultural assimilation. He renamed Qaradağ as Arasbaran to deny the Turkic identity of the inhabitants. Consequently, Arasbaran is no longer in the focus of national politics. Still, many books and articles are being written on the contribution of Arasbaran region, and its inhabitants in the contemporary history of Iran cannot be underestimated. The interested reader may refer to the following scholarly books and articles: * H. Bybordi "The history of Arasbaran" and the Bybordi migration tribe.سرهنگ حسین بایبوردی، "تاریخ ارسباران"، ابن سینا، تهران ۱۳۴۱ * H. Doosti, "The history and geography of Arasbaran". * N. Sedqi, "The contemporary political and social history of Arasbaran". * S.R. Alemohammad, "The book of Arasbaran". * A concise English language article is "The Tribes of Qarāca Dāġ: A Brief History" by P. Oberling. * ''Encyclopediae Iranica'' has many articles which are related to Arasbaran.


Arasbaran ecotourism potential

The declaration by
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
of Arasbaran as a UNESCO Biosphere reserve in 1976 was a great endorsement for the region's
ecotourism Ecotourism is a form of tourism involving responsible travel (using sustainable transport) to natural areas, conserving the environment, and improving the well-being of the local people. Its purpose may be to educate the traveler, to provide funds ...
potential. More recently, visitors from places as far away as
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
have expressed their amazement with approving words. The planned promotion of the
Biosphere The biosphere (from Greek βίος ''bíos'' "life" and σφαῖρα ''sphaira'' "sphere"), also known as the ecosphere (from Greek οἶκος ''oîkos'' "environment" and σφαῖρα), is the worldwide sum of all ecosystems. It can also be ...
to the
National Park A national park is a nature park, natural park in use for conservation (ethic), conservation purposes, created and protected by national governments. Often it is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state dec ...
status may farther enhance Arasbaran's environmental significance. Arasbaran is home to 215 species of birds, notably the
Caucasian black grouse The Caucasian grouse or Caucasian black grouse (''Lyrurus mlokosiewiczi'') is a large bird in the grouse family. It is closely related to the black grouse (''L. tetrix''). Description As with many gamebirds, the cock (male) is larger than the he ...
,
grey partridge The grey partridge (''Perdix perdix''), also known as the gray-legged partridge, English partridge, Hungarian partridge, or hun, is a gamebird in the pheasant family Phasianidae of the order Galliformes, gallinaceous birds. The scientific name ...
,
black francolin The black francolin (''Francolinus francolinus'') is a gamebird in the pheasant family Phasianidae of the order Galliformes, gallinaceous birds. It was formerly known as the black partridge. It is the state bird of Haryana state, India (locally ...
, and
common pheasant The common pheasant (''Phasianus colchicus'') is a bird in the pheasant family (biology), family (Phasianidae). The genus name comes from Latin ''phasianus'', "pheasant". The species name ''colchicus'' is Latin for "of Colchis" (modern day Geor ...
, 29 species of reptiles, 48 species of mammals, notably
wild goat The wild goat (''Capra aegagrus'') is a wild goat species, inhabiting forests, shrublands and rocky areas ranging from Turkey and the Caucasus in the west to Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan in the east. It has been listed as near threatene ...
,
wild boar The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The species is ...
,
brown bear The brown bear (''Ursus arctos'') is a large bear species found across Eurasia and North America. In North America, the populations of brown bears are called grizzly bears, while the subspecies that inhabits the Kodiak Islands of Alaska is kno ...
,
wolf The wolf (''Canis lupus''; : wolves), also known as the gray wolf or grey wolf, is a large canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been recognized, and gray wolves, as popularly u ...
,
lynx A lynx is a type of wild cat. Lynx may also refer to: Astronomy * Lynx (constellation) * Lynx (Chinese astronomy) * Lynx X-ray Observatory, a NASA-funded mission concept for a next-generation X-ray space observatory Places Canada * Lynx, Ontar ...
, and
leopard The leopard (''Panthera pardus'') is one of the five extant species in the genus '' Panthera'', a member of the cat family, Felidae. It occurs in a wide range in sub-Saharan Africa, in some parts of Western and Central Asia, Southern Russia, a ...
, and 17 species of fish. There is an effort going on to revitalize the extinct sub-species of
Caspian red deer The Caspian red deer (''Cervus elaphus maral''), is one of the easternmost subspecies of red deer that is native to areas between the Black Sea and Caspian Sea such as Crimea, Asia Minor, the Caucasus Mountains region bordering Europe and Asia, ...
local to the area (If extinct then how can it be "revitalised"?). The local flora include
hornbeam Hornbeams are hardwood trees in the flowering plant genus ''Carpinus'' in the birch family Betulaceae. The 30–40 species occur across much of the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Origin of names The common English name ''hornbeam' ...
,
sumac Sumac ( or ), also spelled sumach, is any of about 35 species of flowering plants in the genus ''Rhus'' and related genera in the cashew family (Anacardiaceae). Sumacs grow in subtropical and temperate regions throughout the world, including Eas ...
, and
Berberis ''Berberis'' (), commonly known as barberry, is a large genus of deciduous and evergreen shrubs from tall, found throughout Temperateness, temperate and subtropical regions of the world (apart from Australia). Species diversity is greatest in S ...
. A unique characteristic of Arasbaran forests is the ubiquity of edible wild trees. For instance, a patch of forest between
Aghaweye Aghuyeh ( fa, اغويه, also Romanized as Āghūyeh, Aghooyeh, Aghveyeh, and Āghvīyeh; also known as Agi) is a village in Misheh Pareh Rural District, in the Central District (Kaleybar County), Central District of Kaleybar County, East Azerba ...
and
Oskolou Oskelu ( fa, اسكلو, also Romanized as Oskelū, Eskaloo, and Eskalū; also known as Iskyulyu and Osgelū; also written as Üskülü) is a village in Misheh Pareh Rural District of the Central District of Kaleybar County, East Azerbaijan p ...
includes hazelnut trees. The large walnut and ''
Cornus mas ''Cornus mas'', commonly known as cornel (also the Cornelian cherry, European cornel or Cornelian cherry dogwood), is a species of shrub or small tree in the dogwood genus ''Cornus'' native to Southern Europe and Southwestern Asia. Description It ...
'' trees, which grow wild alongside streams, provide an important income source for inhabitants. More exotic plant species, such as
redcurrant The redcurrant or red currant (''Ribes rubrum'') is a member of the genus ''Ribes'' in the gooseberry family. It is native to western Europe. The species is widely cultivated and has escaped into the wild in many regions. Description ''Ribes r ...
,
truffle A truffle is the fruiting body of a subterranean ascomycete fungus, predominantly one of the many species of the genus ''Tuber''. In addition to ''Tuber'', many other genera of fungi are classified as truffles including ''Geopora'', ''Peziz ...
and herbs with application in
traditional medicine Traditional medicine (also known as indigenous medicine or folk medicine) comprises medical aspects of traditional knowledge that developed over generations within the folk beliefs of various societies, including indigenous peoples, before the ...
significantly add to the ecological importance of Arasbaran region. A recent study has indicated that three sites have the highest potential for ecotourism. These sites, which are located alongside the road connecting
Kaleybar Kaleybar ( fa, كليبر) ( az, كليبر); also Romanized as Kalībar, Kalipar, Keleibar, and Keleivar) is a city and capital of Kaleybar County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. According to the 2006 census, Kaleybar, with a popula ...
to
Asheqlu Asheqlu ( fa, عاشقلو, also Romanized as ‘Āsheqlū; also known as Ashagly, Ashakhli, Ashāqlī, Asheghloo Meikhan, and Āsheqlī) is a village in Minjavan-e Gharbi Rural District of Minjavan District, Khoda Afarin County, East Azerbaij ...
( Abbasabad-
Aynaloo Ayenehlu ( fa, اينه لو, also Romanized as Āyenehlū and Ainaloo) is a village in Minjavan-e Gharbi Rural District, Minjavan District, Khoda Afarin County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 10, in 4 famili ...
- Vayqan direction), include
Mikandi MiKandi (pronounced "my candy") is a mobile adult software applications store. Developed by MiKandi LLC, a Seattle-based company, MiKandi is the world's first and largest mobile porn app store. The store seeks to get around restrictions placed o ...
valley, Aynali forests and
Babak Castle Pāpak Fort ( fa, دژ بابک) or Babak CastleBurke, Andrew and Elliott. Mark (2008) ''Iran'' Lonely Planet, Footscray, Victoria, Australiapage 159 ( fa, قلعه بابک), ″Ghal’eh-e  Baz″ is a large citadel on the top of a mountai ...
. There are, however, more unexplored tourist potentials. One example is a holy mountain located at the coordinate (38°55'16.64"N,46°47'24.62"E). Most inhabitants of the now abandoned village,
Garmanab Garmanab ( گرمناب) was a village in Khoda Afarin County which was abandoned by the turn of the 20th century. In late nineteenth and early twentieth century the village was inhabited by Armenians, who later emigrated to Armenia or Tabriz. Jus ...
, were Izadis, the followers Yârsân religion. They used to slaughter sacrificial animals in the site, which is located at the slopes of a hill. Nobody bothered to ask the reasons behind the holiness of the site. However, the pleasures of an occasional feast was so tempting that the followers of the Shia' sect attended the holy site, too. Nowadays there are few worshipers and the centuries long traditions are almost forgotten. The revival of these rituals may attract cultural visitors. Another potential tourist attraction are the summer camps ( ییلاق) of semi-settled
Tribes of Arasbaran Arasbaran, also known as Karadagh in Azerbaijani language (قره‌داغ) is a vast mountainous area in the north of East Azarbaijan Province in Iran. In this area there were several Turkic tribes, including the Beghdillu, Haji-Alilu, Hoseynakl ...
, known as Ilat, who spend five months of the year in uplands for grazing their livestock. A tourist, while enjoying the fresh thin air of the mountains, may get a chance to observe the age-long traditional living styles of the locals. Some of the attractive sites are Aliabad mountains, meadows above Shojaabad, East Azerbaijan village, and
Chaparli Chaparli ( چپرلی) is a grassland on a mountain range between Abbasabad and Oskolou villages. The area is the summer quarter of the Derilou branch of Mohammad Khanlu tribe, which in the wake of White Revolution included 40 households. T ...
and Aqdash summer quarters, all located in a driving distance from
Kaleybar Kaleybar ( fa, كليبر) ( az, كليبر); also Romanized as Kalībar, Kalipar, Keleibar, and Keleivar) is a city and capital of Kaleybar County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. According to the 2006 census, Kaleybar, with a popula ...
. Numerous
hot spring A hot spring, hydrothermal spring, or geothermal spring is a spring produced by the emergence of geothermally heated groundwater onto the surface of the Earth. The groundwater is heated either by shallow bodies of magma (molten rock) or by circ ...
s, scattered all over the region, have been considered as attractions for promoting tourism. One example is Motaalleq hot spring therapeutic facility, which is the largest of its kind in Iran. The facility, with an area of 12870 m2 includes bathing areas, coffee-shop, restaurants, prayer room, and gymnasium. In recent years, the local government has organised Zoğal festivals in
Kaleybar Kaleybar ( fa, كليبر) ( az, كليبر); also Romanized as Kalībar, Kalipar, Keleibar, and Keleivar) is a city and capital of Kaleybar County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. According to the 2006 census, Kaleybar, with a popula ...
as a means of promoting tourism. In addition, every year, in the second half of October, a
Pomegranate The pomegranate (''Punica granatum'') is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub in the family Lythraceae, subfamily Punicoideae, that grows between tall. The pomegranate was originally described throughout the Mediterranean Basin, Mediterranean re ...
Festival is organised in by the provincial authorities in
Mardanaqom Mardanaqom ( fa, w:fa:مردانقم, مردانقم, also Romanized as Mardānāqom; also known as Mard Agham, Mardānqom, Mardenaum, and Merdenaum) is a village in Dizmar-e Sharqi Rural District, Minjavan District, Khoda Afarin County, East Azer ...
village. The main programme of the festival is the performance of
ashugh An ashik ( az, aşıq, ; tr, âşık; fa, عاشیق) or ashugh ( hy, աշուղ; ka, აშუღი) is traditionally a singer-poet and bard who accompanies his song—be it a dastan (traditional epic story, also known as '' hikay ...
music. Nearly every village in the region has a landmark in its territories. Some of these are potential tourism attractions. For instance, there is a landmark ancient plane tree in the Kavanaq village, whose photo is presented here. The tree is about 3 metres in diameter and is said to have lived for 500 years. The villagers have developed interesting oral narratives around the events experienced by the tree.


Demography

In the wake of the
Russo-Persian War (1804–1813) The 1804–1813 Russo-Persian War was one of the many wars between the Persian Empire and Imperial Russia, and began like many of their wars as a territorial dispute. The new Persian king, Fath Ali Shah Qajar, wanted to consolidate the northe ...
a significant fraction of the inhabitants lived as nomadic tribes. The major tribes included;
Chalabianlu Chalabianlu () is a Turkification, Turkophone Kurds, Kurdish tribe, dwelling for the most part in the Garamduz District of Arasbaran region, in East Azerbaijan Province of Iran. History The Chalabianlu tribe migrated from Kurdistan to the Arasba ...
1500 tents and houses, Karacurlu 2500,
Haji-Alilu Haji-Alilu (ḤĀJI ʿALILU) ( حاج علیلو) is one on the six major Tribes of Arasbaran. It is a Turkic tribe with two branches; one dwelling in the vicinity of Maragheh, and main branch lives north of Varzaqan and Ahar in the Qarājadāḡ r ...
800, Begdillu 200, and various minor groups 500. At the time
Ahar Ahar ( fa, italic=yes, اهر, az, اهر) is a city and capital of Ahar County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. According to the 2016 census, Ahar was the fourth most populated city of the province with a population of 100,641 in 20,844 fam ...
, with 3500 inhabitants, was the only city of Qaradağ. By the beginning of the twentieth century the settlement of tribesman were growing and in 1920 there were more than four hundred villages, less than thirty of which were
Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...
. However, the nomadic way of living has survived to the present. The nomadic population at present has been estimated to be about 36000, and is not significantly different from the 30000 estimate of 1960. The defeat of Soviet-created "
Azerbaijan People's Government The Azerbaijan People's Government ( az, آذربایجان میللی حکومتی - Azərbaycan Milli Hökuməti; fa, حکومت خودمختار آذربایجان) was a short-lived unrecognized secessionist state in northern Iran from Nov ...
" following
WWII World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
and the ensuing events, resulted in mass migration of inhabitants to
Tabriz Tabriz ( fa, تبریز ; ) is a city in northwestern Iran, serving as the capital of East Azerbaijan Province. It is the List of largest cities of Iran, sixth-most-populous city in Iran. In the Quri Chay, Quru River valley in Iran's historic Aze ...
and
Tehran Tehran (; fa, تهران ) is the largest city in Tehran Province and the capital of Iran. With a population of around 9 million in the city and around 16 million in the larger metropolitan area of Greater Tehran, Tehran is the most popul ...
. Most of these migrants settled in the shanty towns and worked as painters. The land reforms of 1962–1964 accelerated the migration. The case of a typical village, Abbasabad, is a good example to demonstrate the population depletion; the number of families dropped from 60 families at 1970 to 12 at 2006. After the election of
Ahmadinezhad Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ( fa, محمود احمدی‌نژاد, Mahmūd Ahmadīnežād ), born Mahmoud Sabbaghian ( fa, محمود صباغیان, Mahmoud Sabbāghyān, 28 October 1956),
as president of Iran, a rumour was circulated that UNESCO will compensate the residents to have the village evacuated for wild-life protection efforts. Some early emigrants returned and built decent houses. At the present the region is undergoing a population boom as more wealthy city residents want to spend their retirement in a cleaner environment. Recently, the deputy governor of the
East Azarbaijan East Azerbaijan Province ( fa, استان آذربایجان شرقی ''Āzarbāijān-e Sharqi''; az-Arab, شرقی آذربایجان اوستانی) is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It is located in Iranian Azerbaijan, bordering Armenia, ...
province has mentioned the phenomenon of reverse migration to Khoda Afarin and
Kaleybar Kaleybar ( fa, كليبر) ( az, كليبر); also Romanized as Kalībar, Kalipar, Keleibar, and Keleivar) is a city and capital of Kaleybar County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. According to the 2006 census, Kaleybar, with a popula ...
counties. The problem is that the population is aging and the working class adults, in the face of scarce job opportunities, live most of the year in large population centres such as Tehran. The issue is so critical that during recent presidential campaign,
Mohsen Rezaee Mohsen Rezaee ( fa, محسن رضایی, born Sabzevar Rezaee Mirgha'ed ( fa, سبزوار رضایی میرقائد) on 1 September 1954) is an Iranian conservative politician affiliated with the Resistance Front of Islamic Iran and senior milit ...
referred to Iranian villages as the ''old age residence''.


Languages

The spoken language of majority of the inhabitant is
Azeri Azerbaijanis (; az, Azərbaycanlılar, ), Azeris ( az, Azərilər, ), or Azerbaijani Turks ( az, Azərbaycan Türkləri, ) are a Turkic peoples, Turkic people living mainly in Azerbaijan (Iran), northwestern Iran and the Azerbaijan, Republi ...
, which has a reasonable degree of intelligibility with Turkmeni, Afshar and the Anatolian Turkish. Most inhabitants are bilingual in
Persian language Persian (), also known by its endonym Farsi (, ', ), is a Western Iranian language belonging to the Iranian branch of the Indo-Iranian subdivision of the Indo-European languages. Persian is a pluricentric language predominantly spoken and ...
, which is the official language of Iran and the sole language of education. The ancient language of Azerbaijan, namely Tati survives in the
Karingani Karingani is a Northwestern Iranian language closely related to Talysh and the Harzandi dialect. It is spoken in East Azerbaijan Province East Azerbaijan Province ( fa, استان آذربایجان شرقی ''Āzarbāijān-e Sharqi''; az-A ...
dialect of the language. In addition to the large village of
Karingan Karangan ( fa, كرنگان, also Romanized as Karangān, Karanagān, and Kerengān; also known as Karanīgān, Karankan, Karingan, Kerenkān, and Kyurengyan) is a village in Sina Rural District, in the Central District of Varzaqan County, East Az ...
, the neighboring villages of Chay Kandi, Kalasor, Khoynarood, and Arazin are likewise the remaining Tati-speaking Old Azari/Tati-speaking native, a language which was the Iranian language of Azerbaijan before the arrival of Turkic speakers in large numbers during the long wars between
Safavid Safavid Iran or Safavid Persia (), also referred to as the Safavid Empire, '. was one of the greatest Iranian empires after the 7th-century Muslim conquest of Persia, which was ruled from 1501 to 1736 by the Safavid dynasty. It is often conside ...
Persia/Iran and the
Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
in the 16the and 17th centuries, where a large population transfer took place between the two. This language, has a rare and unusual point of grammar called the ''hearsay tense''. Consequently, in Azerbaijani speaking society the boundary between the private and shared memories becomes fuzzy, and the magnitude of time lapse between the events shrinks. This is an ideal feature for the generation of oral cultural artifacts, particularly mythology, epics and folkloric music. A rare opportunity for recording and preserving Qaradağ's culture was provided by the innovative method by which Shahriar in his famous verse book, ''
Heydar Babaya Salam ''Heydar Babaya Salam'' ( az, حیدربابایه سلام) is an Azerbaijani poetical work by Mohammad Hossein Shahriar, a famous Iranian Azerbaijani poet. Published in 1954 in Tabriz, it is about Shahriar's childhood and his memories of his vil ...
'' adopted to summarize the
Cultural identity Cultural identity is a part of a person's identity, or their self-conception and self-perception, and is related to nationality, ethnicity, religion, social class, generation, locality or any kind of social group that has its own distinct cultur ...
in concise poetic form. A generation of lesser known poets from Arasbaran used similar approach for perpetuating region's oral traditions. Remarkable examples are ''mourning
Sabalan Sabalan (Persian: سبلان ) is an inactive stratovolcano in Ardabil Province of northwestern Iran. At in elevation, it is the third-highest mountain in Iran. It has a permanent crater lake formed at its summit. On one of its slopes around ...
'' by Abbas Barez, and "Hail to Qizil Qala'h" by Seifollah Delkhon. Another example is Mohamad Golmohamadi's long poem, titled ''I am madly in love with Qareh Dagh'' (قاراداغ اؤلکه‌سینین گؤر نئجه دیوانه‌سی ام), which is a concise description of the region's cultural landscape.


Mythology

The inhabitants of every village attribute spiritual importance to at multiple sites, scattered throughout the village territory. These places, generally known as
Ojaq Ojaq ( fa, اجاق, also Romanized as Ojāq; also known as Ojagh and Ūchāq) is a village in Sardrud-e Olya Rural District, Sardrud District, Razan County, Hamadan Province, Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, ...
, are located in areas with rapid variation on the land topography, and are in some way linked to Djins via established narratives. Most of these sites possess any significantly conspicuous landmark. At some sites, which are considered sacred by many villages, people will occasionally gather to slaughter sacrificial animals or offer a simple meal of freshly baked bread and cheese with tea. At some sites, they have collected medium-sized rocks around some trees and hang coloured threads or ribbons from the trees. In most villages, there are sites with narrative associations, which are not considered sacred. These sites are in secluded locations formed by natural topography of the landscape. Often the narratives involve bears as the principal subject. The main theme of the narratives is the following. A male bear kidnaps a blackberry picking pretty girl and takes her to his den. A hybrid child is born, but the girl runs away at the first opportunity leaving the lamenting bear entreatingly crying for his lost wife. According to a myth the wolf is found as a symbol of merciless power that is able to destroy everything. If a human being touches it, whatever frightens him/her will be frustrated.


Vergi

Vergi, meaning gift, is a perceived ability for performing extraordinary feats such as prophesy or healing, which supposedly can only be received from god or from Shia'
Imam Imam (; ar, إمام '; plural: ') is an Islamic leadership position. For Sunni Muslims, Imam is most commonly used as the title of a worship leader of a mosque. In this context, imams may lead Islamic worship services, lead prayers, ser ...
s. It is believed that a Vergi is inherited and not to be learned. For instance, there is a family in Vayqan among whom the Vergi for catching snakes is transmitted from generation to generation. Sometimes, the Vergi is claimed to be received in dreams. But often, it is received in Ojaqs where ghosts show themselves to and talk to gifted. It is believed that there is no escape from Vergi and that, at first, it generates suffering comparable to
shamanistic Shamanism is a religious practice that involves a practitioner (shaman) interacting with what they believe to be a spirit world through altered states of consciousness, such as trance. The goal of this is usually to direct spirits or spiritu ...
illness.


Toğs; relics of Ashura day?

Ashura, the 10th day of the lunar month Muharram, is the day at which the mourning celebrations commemorating Imam Husayns' martyrdom reach their climax. In many villages of Qaradağ, palm sized metallic icons fixed on a medium-sized wooden handles, locally known as Toğs, are harbingers of the exact hour when Husayn was killed; allegedly, they relapse to utter in-animation following ten days of relentless erratic movements at the hands of their carriers (alamdars). The tuğs – believed to be sisters – are housed in the mosques and are greatly revered by the inhabitants of all neighbouring villages. Unfortunately, there are no systematic studies or first hand reports on these fascinating relics. Still, every year, as a ritualistic obligation, expatriates flock to the said villages to receive the blessings of the sacred day in the company of their sacred Toğs. In the accompanying photo two persons holding toğ can be seen, who are surrounded by mourners beating on their legs. One toğ is kept standing still in the centre. It seems that the other toğ is performing erratic motions and is pulling the holder.


Arasbaran dogs

Orhan Pamuk Ferit Orhan Pamuk (born 7 June 1952) is a Turkish novelist, screenwriter, academic, and recipient of the 2006 Nobel Prize in Literature. One of Turkey's most prominent novelists, his work has sold over thirteen million books in sixty-three lan ...
in 2001 Turkish novel, ''
My Name Is Red ''My Name Is Red'' ( tr, Benim Adım Kırmızı) is a 1998 Turkish novel by writer Orhan Pamuk translated into English by Erdağ Göknar in 2001. Pamuk would later receive the 2006 Nobel Prize in Literature. The novel, concerning miniaturists in ...
'', gives a vivid description of Turkic people's love-hate attitude towards dogs. Every summer, the real life version of this description is in display in Chaparli. Each family has 2-5 dogs, all with characteristic cropped ears and tails. The dogs are fed generous portions of milk soaked bread. When the sheep herds are brought back for milking near tents, dogs sleep around the camp most of the day. The inhabitants treat the beasts with utter respect, a manner which is loathed by more pious villagers of the region as a pagan act. Between dusk and dawn dogs regain their vicious character; strangers have to avoid crossing a campsite otherwise the attacking dogs cannot be controlled even by their owners. Fending off the dogs by beating is considered an act of aggression towards the owner and should be avoided. In fact most of the feuds between settled villagers and pastoralists are about dogs.


Arasbaran carpet

Carpet A carpet is a textile floor covering typically consisting of an upper layer of pile attached to a backing. The pile was traditionally made from wool, but since the 20th century synthetic fibers such as polypropylene, nylon, or polyester hav ...
weaving stands out as the acme of Azeri art and people of Arasbaran have significantly contributed to this artistic tradition. Arabaran carpet was a hybrid between
Persian carpet A Persian carpet ( fa, فرش ایرانی, translit=farš-e irâni ) or Persian rug ( fa, قالی ایرانی, translit=qâli-ye irâni ),Savory, R., ''Carpets'',(Encyclopaedia Iranica); accessed January 30, 2007. also known as Iranian ...
and
Azerbaijani rug Azerbaijani rugs ( az, Azərbaycan xalçaları) are traditional rugs made in Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani rug is a handmade textile of various sizes, with a dense texture and a pile or pile-less surface, whose patterns are characteristic of Azerbai ...
. There were indigenous styles as well. For instance, carpets known as Balan rugs had a size of approximately 1x4 m2 and a characteristic pattern. The acme of carpet weaving art in Arasbaran is manifested in verni, which was originated in
Nagorno-Karabakh Nagorno-Karabakh ( ) is a landlocked country, landlocked region in the Transcaucasia, South Caucasus, within the mountainous range of Karabakh, lying between Lower Karabakh and Syunik Province, Syunik, and covering the southeastern range o ...
. Verni is a carpet-like
kilim A kilim ( az, Kilim کیلیم; tr, Kilim; tm, Kilim; fa, گلیم ''Gilīm'') is a flat tapestry-woven carpet or rug traditionally produced in countries of the former Persian Empire, including Iran, the Balkans and the Turkic countries. Kili ...
with a delicate and fine warp and weft, which is woven without a previous sketch, thanks to the creative talents of nomadic women and girls. Verni weavers employ the image of birds and animals (deer, rooster, cat, snake, birds, gazelle, sheep, camel, wolf and eagle) in simple geometrical shapes, imitating the
earthenware Earthenware is glazed or unglazed nonvitreous pottery that has normally been fired below . Basic earthenware, often called terracotta, absorbs liquids such as water. However, earthenware can be made impervious to liquids by coating it with a ce ...
patterns that were popular in prehistoric times. A key décor feature, which is intrinsic to many vernis, is the S-element. Its shape varies; it may resemble both the figure 5 and letter S. This element means “dragon” among the nomads. At present, verni is woven by the girls of Arasbaran Tribes, often in the same room where the nomadic tribes reside, and is a significant income source for about 20000 families.


Ashughi music and Qaradağ's contribution

''Bəlkə bu yerlərə birdə gəlmədim'' (I may not come to these mountains again) ''duman səlamət qal dağ səlamət qal'' (Farewell to the Mist and to the mountain) ''arxamca su səpir göydə bulutlar'' (Clouds sprinkle drops of rain) ''leysan səlamət qal yağ səlamət'' qal (Farewell to summer days, farewell to the rain) These opening verses of a contemporary
ashug An ashik ( az, aşıq, ; tr, âşık; fa, عاشیق) or ashugh ( hy, աշուղ; ka, აშუღი) is traditionally a singer-poet and bard who accompanies his song—be it a dastan (traditional epic story, also known as '' hikay ...
song, composed by Məhəmməd Araz, may well represent the essence of Qaradağ's cultural identity; frequent allusions to a mountain with the intention of arousing an emotional state with a tone of mild melancholy- a state well expressed by the
ashugh An ashik ( az, aşıq, ; tr, âşık; fa, عاشیق) or ashugh ( hy, աշուղ; ka, აშუღი) is traditionally a singer-poet and bard who accompanies his song—be it a dastan (traditional epic story, also known as '' hikay ...
i music. A century long autocratic nation building policies of
Pahlavi era The Pahlavi dynasty ( fa, دودمان پهلوی) was the last Iranian royal dynasty, ruling for almost 54 years between 1925 and 1979. The dynasty was founded by Reza Shah Pahlavi, a non-aristocratic Mazanderani soldier in modern times, who ...
in Iran has succeeded in cultural assimilation in the favor of a government sanctioned culture. The mountainous region of Qaradağ, however, relatively escaped the demise due to its remoteness and inaccessibility. Many elements of the indigenous culture, particularly local music, have survived to the present day. More recently a slow but persistent cultural revival has been in progress and the inhabitants along with their city dwelling relatives perceive an awareness of their common cultural roots with the inhabitants of eastern Turkey and Azerbaijan republics, where a cultural renaissance is well underway since the collapse of the Soviet Union. The
ashugh An ashik ( az, aşıq, ; tr, âşık; fa, عاشیق) or ashugh ( hy, աշուղ; ka, აშუღი) is traditionally a singer-poet and bard who accompanies his song—be it a dastan (traditional epic story, also known as '' hikay ...
i music is cornerstone of this shared identity. The number of ashughs has significantly increased after Aşiq Imran Heydəri (عاشیق ایمران حیدری) started accepting pupils to his academic style classes in
Tabriz Tabriz ( fa, تبریز ; ) is a city in northwestern Iran, serving as the capital of East Azerbaijan Province. It is the List of largest cities of Iran, sixth-most-populous city in Iran. In the Quri Chay, Quru River valley in Iran's historic Aze ...
. Imran's efforts effectively shifted the general impression of the ashugh music from association to the nomadic life in mountains to a music suited for performances in urban settings. At present, the de facto representative of ashughs is Aşiq Rəsol Qorbani from Abbasabad village.


Economy

Up until the Islamic revolution the region had a subsistence economy – all food was produced within the villages and the surplus was bartered with items supplied by travelling salesman. Most women spent winter months weaving
carpet A carpet is a textile floor covering typically consisting of an upper layer of pile attached to a backing. The pile was traditionally made from wool, but since the 20th century synthetic fibers such as polypropylene, nylon, or polyester hav ...
s using raw material which were locally produced. Rainfed agriculture on the steep slopes had severely eroded the farms and productivity had dropped to an unsustainable low level, and the inhabitants had to supplement their income by taking seasonal construction jobs in Tehran. After the revolution, thanks to the construction of roads giving accessibility to larger town markets, livestock production became the dominant mode of the region's economy. However, the quarrels over grazing rights didn't allow large-scale animal agriculture. In recent years
beekeeping Beekeeping (or apiculture) is the maintenance of bee colonies, commonly in man-made beehives. Honey bees in the genus '' Apis'' are the most-commonly-kept species but other honey-producing bees such as ''Melipona'' stingless bees are also kept. ...
has emerged as the only occupation that can provide a family with sufficient income. The honey produced in villages close to pastures is renowned for its quality and has an established niche market.
Mardanaqom Mardanaqom ( fa, w:fa:مردانقم, مردانقم, also Romanized as Mardānāqom; also known as Mard Agham, Mardānqom, Mardenaum, and Merdenaum) is a village in Dizmar-e Sharqi Rural District, Minjavan District, Khoda Afarin County, East Azer ...
village is one of the main producers of honey.


Major historical sites

*
Babak Fort Pāpak Fort ( fa, دژ بابک) or Babak CastleBurke, Andrew and Elliott. Mark (2008) ''Iran'' Lonely Planet, Footscray, Victoria, Australiapage 159 ( fa, قلعه بابک), ″Ghal’eh-e  Baz″ is a large citadel on the top of a mountai ...
, which is located on a mountain summit near
Kaleybar Kaleybar ( fa, كليبر) ( az, كليبر); also Romanized as Kalībar, Kalipar, Keleibar, and Keleivar) is a city and capital of Kaleybar County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. According to the 2006 census, Kaleybar, with a popula ...
, is a large citadel and National Symbol of Iranians and
Iranian Azerbaijanis Iranian Azerbaijanis (; az, ایران آذربایجانلیلاری, italics=no ), also known as Iranian Azeris, Iranian Turks, Persian Turks or Persian Azerbaijanis, are Iranians of Azerbaijani ethnicity who may speak the Azerbaijani lang ...
. * Jowshīn Fort ( قلعه جوشین ) is located in
Varzaqan County Varzaqan County ( fa, شهرستان ورزقان) is located in East Azerbaijan province, Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq ...
. The fort was probably built in the fifth century. * Ahar Bazar ( بازار اهر) is one of the Iranian national monuments. It is adorned in a spectacular fashion, with specific plaster moldings and unique oriental design. The bazaar is composed of various sections and has been repaired during the Qajar period. * The mausoleum of Sheikh Shaabe-deen. The monument was described by James Morier in the early nineteenth century, "The mausoleum is of brick, with a foundation of stone, and faced by an elevated portico, flanked by two minors or pillars encrusted with green tiles. A little wooden door was opened for us in the back of the building, which introduced us into the spot that contained the tomb of the Sheikh, which was enclosed by a stone railing, carved into open work, and surrounded by a sculptured arabesque ornament, of very good taste. The tomb is distinguished by a marble cover, on which is an Arabic inscription in relieve." *
Khoda Afarin bridges Khuda or Khoda ( fa, خدا) is the Persian word for "Lord" or "God". Originally, it was used in reference to Ahura Mazda (the name of the God in Zoroastrianism). Iranian languages, Turkic languages, and many Indo-Aryan languages employ the word. ...
. Two bridges on Aras river are located near
Khomarlu Khomarlu ( fa, خمارلو; also Romanized as Khomārlū) is a city & capital of Khoda Afarin County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 1,222, in 334 families. Situation The first reference to Khomarlu i ...
. One bridge is badly damaged and the other is still usable for pedestrians. The latter bridge is 160 m in length. *
Amir Arshad Sam Khan, the headman of Haji-Alilu tribe of Arasbaran, was a legendary military commander in early twentieth century. He was given honorary titles such as Arshad Nezam, Sardar Arshad, Shoja Nezam, Salar Nezam, and Amir Arshad (w:fa:امیر ارش ...
's residence ( خانه امیر ارشد) in the Okhara village of
Varzaqan County Varzaqan County ( fa, شهرستان ورزقان) is located in East Azerbaijan province, Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq ...
is still standing and has been registered as a historical site. * Qantoor building in
Aynaloo Ayenehlu ( fa, اينه لو, also Romanized as Āyenehlū and Ainaloo) is a village in Minjavan-e Gharbi Rural District, Minjavan District, Khoda Afarin County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 10, in 4 famili ...
is a mansion which was built in 1907 by a wealthy Armenian businessman. This landmark building is important in the context of highlighting the religious and technical tolerance that was a unique characteristic of the Arasbaran region. * Kordasht bath ( حمام کردشت) is a royal bath which was built in the sixteenth century by king
Abbas I of Persia Abbas I ( fa, ; 27 January 157119 January 1629), commonly known as Abbas the Great (), was the 5th Safavid dynasty, Safavid Shah (king) of Safavid Iran, Iran, and is generally considered one of the greatest rulers of Iranian history and the Safavi ...
.


Notable people

*
Sattar Khan Sattar Khan ( fa, ستارخان, , October 20, 1866 – November 17, 1914), honorarily titled Sardār-e Melli ( fa, سردار ملی meaning ''National Commander'') was a pivotal figure in the Iranian Constitutional Revolution and is considered ...
was originally from Qaradağ. He is considered as a national hero of Iran and is referred to as سردار ملی (meaning National Commander). He headed Constitutionalist rebels from the Amirkhiz district of
Tabriz Tabriz ( fa, تبریز ; ) is a city in northwestern Iran, serving as the capital of East Azerbaijan Province. It is the List of largest cities of Iran, sixth-most-populous city in Iran. In the Quri Chay, Quru River valley in Iran's historic Aze ...
in early twentieth century. *
Babak Khorramdin , native_name_lang = , birth_date = 795 or 798 , birth_place = Ardabil, Abbasid Caliphate , spouse = Banu , death_date = probably 7 January 838 (age 40 or 43) , death_place = Samarra, Abbasid Caliphate , years_active ...
, who until recently was fairly unknown to locals, is becoming a national hero particularly among new generation of Iranians as a symbol of resistance against Arab invasion twelve centuries ago. During the relative liberalism of
Khatami Sayyid Mohammad Khatami ( fa, سید محمد خاتمی, ; born 14 October 1943) is an Iranian politician who served as the fifth president of Iran from 3 August 1997 to 3 August 2005. He also served as Iran's Minister of Culture from 1982 t ...
era (1997–2005) every year in the last week of June Azerbijani nationalists celebrated his birthday symbolically at the
Babak Castle Pāpak Fort ( fa, دژ بابک) or Babak CastleBurke, Andrew and Elliott. Mark (2008) ''Iran'' Lonely Planet, Footscray, Victoria, Australiapage 159 ( fa, قلعه بابک), ″Ghal’eh-e  Baz″ is a large citadel on the top of a mountai ...
. Babak's legacy has been a controversial subject in academic and intellectual circles of Iran. *
Amir Arshad Sam Khan, the headman of Haji-Alilu tribe of Arasbaran, was a legendary military commander in early twentieth century. He was given honorary titles such as Arshad Nezam, Sardar Arshad, Shoja Nezam, Salar Nezam, and Amir Arshad (w:fa:امیر ارش ...
, the headman of
Haji-Alilu Haji-Alilu (ḤĀJI ʿALILU) ( حاج علیلو) is one on the six major Tribes of Arasbaran. It is a Turkic tribe with two branches; one dwelling in the vicinity of Maragheh, and main branch lives north of Varzaqan and Ahar in the Qarājadāḡ r ...
tribe, was a legendary military commander in early twentieth century. He is credited with fending off the communism from Iran. *
Karim Pasha Bahadori Kareem (alternatively spelled Karim or Kerim) ( ar, کریم) is a common given name and surname of Arabic origin that means "generous", "noble", "honorable". It is also one of the Names of God in Islam in the Quran. Given name Karim * Karim A ...
, a prominent landlord, was the secretary of former queen,
Farah Pahlavi Farah Pahlavi ( fa, فرح پهلوی, née Farah Diba ( fa, فرح دیبا, label=none); born 14 October 1938) is the widow of the last Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, and was successively Queen and Empress (''Shahbanu'') of Iran from ...
. * Qasem Ahari was born in Ahar in 1884. He was the first European trained
ophthalmologist Ophthalmology ( ) is a surgery, surgical subspecialty within medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of eye disorders. An ophthalmologist is a physician who undergoes subspecialty training in medical and surgical eye care. Followin ...
of Iran. Qasem Ahari served four terms in
National Consultative Assembly The National Consultative Assembly ( fa, مجلس شورای ملی, Mad̲j̲les-e s̲h̲ūrā-ye mellī) or simply Majles, was the national legislative body of Iran from 1906 to 1979. It was elected by universal suffrage, excluding the armed for ...
. He was the first representative of
Azerbaijan Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of th ...
in
Senate of Iran , native_name_lang = , transcription_name = , legislature = , coa_pic = , coa_res = , coa_alt = , coa_caption = , logo_pic = , logo_res = , logo_alt = ...
. * Asadollah Mohammadkhanlu, the headman of
Mohammad Khanlu Mohammad Khanlu (Moḥammad-Ḵānlū) ( محمد خانلو) is one of the six major Tribes of Arasbaran. It is a Turkicized Kurdish tribe dwelling for the most part in the Arasbaran region, in East Azerbaijan Province of Iran. Its summer quarte ...
tribe, was a feudal and influential politician during
Pahlavi era The Pahlavi dynasty ( fa, دودمان پهلوی) was the last Iranian royal dynasty, ruling for almost 54 years between 1925 and 1979. The dynasty was founded by Reza Shah Pahlavi, a non-aristocratic Mazanderani soldier in modern times, who ...
. He was among the first group of people whose properties were confiscated just after the
Islamic Revolution The Iranian Revolution ( fa, انقلاب ایران, Enqelâb-e Irân, ), also known as the Islamic Revolution ( fa, انقلاب اسلامی, Enqelâb-e Eslâmī), was a series of events that culminated in the overthrow of the Pahlavi dyna ...
. * Three generation of Mirahmadi family from
Hasanbeyglu Hasanbeyglu ( az, حسنبیگلو) is one of the six major Tribes of Arasbaran. It is a Turkic tribe dwelling in the Arasbaran region in East Azerbaijan Province of Iran. Its summer quarters were in the western part of Misheh Pareh Rural District ...
tribe have been significant political players in local and national levels since Constitutional Revolution of early twentieth century. *
Andre Agassi Andre Kirk Agassi ( ; born April 29, 1970) is an American former world No. 1 tennis player. He is an eight-time major champion and an Olympic gold medalist, as well as a runner-up in seven other majors. Agassi is the second of five men to ach ...
, the retired professional tennis player and former World No. 1, is the son of man originally from Arasbaran. * Aşıq Hoseyn Javan, born in
Oti Kandi Oti Kandi (w:fa:آتی‌کندی, آتی‌کندی, also Romanized as Otī Kandī; also known as Owtū Kandī) is a village in Seyyedan Rural District of Abish Ahmad District, Kaleybar County, East Azerbaijan province, East Azerbaijan provin ...
, is the legendary ashik who was exiled to
Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
due to his revolutionary songs during the brief reign of
Azerbaijan People's Government The Azerbaijan People's Government ( az, آذربایجان میللی حکومتی - Azərbaycan Milli Hökuməti; fa, حکومت خودمختار آذربایجان) was a short-lived unrecognized secessionist state in northern Iran from Nov ...
following the
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. Hoseyn Javan's music, in contrast to the contemporary poetry in Iran, emphasizes on realism and highlights the beauties of real life. One of Hoseyn's songs, with the title "Kimin olacaqsan yari, bəxtəvər?", is among the most famous ashugh songs. * Rasool Qorbani (رسول قربانی), recognised as the godfather among the masters of ashugh music, was born in 1933 in AbbasAbad. Rasool started his music career in 1952 and by 1965 was an accomplished ashik. Rasool had performed in international music festivals held in
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
,
Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
, the
Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
,
England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
,
Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
,
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
,
Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...
,
Slovakia Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( sk, Slovenská republika, links=no ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the s ...
,
Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
,
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
,
Azerbaijan Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of th ...
,
Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe, Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Bas ...
,
Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...
and
Hungary Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia a ...
. Rasool has been awarded highest art awards of the country, and will be honored by government during the celebration for his 80th birthday. changiz mehdipour (چنگیز مهدی‌پور), born in
Sheykh Hoseynlu Sheykh Hoseynlu ( fa, شيخ‌حسينلو, also Romanized as Sheykh Ḩoseynlū; also known as Shaikh Husain, Sheykh Ḩasanlū, Sheykh Ḩoseyn, and Shikhuseyn) is a village in Minjavan-e Gharbi Rural District, Minjavan District, Khoda Afarin Co ...
, has significantly contributed to the revival and development of ashugh music. His book on the subject attempts to adapt the ashugh music to the artistic taste of the contemporary audience. * Khanali Siami (1953–2013) was a famous photographer. His published photo-album is the first comprehensive visual presentation of
East Azarbaijan Province East Azerbaijan Province ( fa, استان آذربایجان شرقی ''Āzarbāijān-e Sharqi''; az-Arab, شرقی آذربایجان اوستانی) is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It is located in Azerbaijan (Iran), Iranian Azerbaijan, ...
. Since 1910, Ravanbakhsh Leysi, a high school teacher from
Kaleybar Kaleybar ( fa, كليبر) ( az, كليبر); also Romanized as Kalībar, Kalipar, Keleibar, and Keleivar) is a city and capital of Kaleybar County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. According to the 2006 census, Kaleybar, with a popula ...
has followed the footsteps of Siami in
Nature photography Nature photography is a wide range of photography taken outdoors and devoted to displaying natural elements such as landscapes, wildlife, plants, and close-ups of natural scenes and textures. Nature photography tends to put a stronger emphasis o ...
. Most photos in this article were taken by him. * Abbas Eslami (عباس بارز), known with his pen-name Barez, (1932–2011) was a great poet. He described the melancholic demise of Qaradağ in a book titled mourning
Sabalan Sabalan (Persian: سبلان ) is an inactive stratovolcano in Ardabil Province of northwestern Iran. At in elevation, it is the third-highest mountain in Iran. It has a permanent crater lake formed at its summit. On one of its slopes around ...
( ياسلي ساوالان). * Bahman Zamani, a rebel-poet, influenced the revolutionary generation of 1960-1980 by highlighting the pitiful state of Qaradağ due to the centralist policies of
Pahlavi era The Pahlavi dynasty ( fa, دودمان پهلوی) was the last Iranian royal dynasty, ruling for almost 54 years between 1925 and 1979. The dynasty was founded by Reza Shah Pahlavi, a non-aristocratic Mazanderani soldier in modern times, who ...
. His most famous poem in this regard is Qaradağ(قره‌داغ). Bahman is also famous for composing the song "Araz Araz Khan Araz" in the memory of
Samad Behrangi Samad Behrangi ( fa, صمد بهرنگی; June 24, 1939 – August 31, 1968) was an Iranian teacher, social activist and critic, folklorist, translator, and short story writer of Azerbaijani descent. He is famous for his children's books, particu ...
. * Sattar Golmohamadi and his nephew Mohamad Golmohamadi are contemporary poets, both dedicated their poems to the cultural identity of Qaradağ region. Mohamad Golmohamadi's poem, titled (قاراداغ اؤلکه‌سینین گؤر نئجه دیوانه‌سی ام), is a concise description of the region's cultural landscape. * Ayatollah Hojat (آیت الله العظمی سید محمد حجت کوه‌کمری) was one of the highest ranking clerics of the twentieth century. He was the supreme legal authority or the source of emulation for millions of Shia' Muslims before the
Iranian Revolution The Iranian Revolution ( fa, انقلاب ایران, Enqelâb-e Irân, ), also known as the Islamic Revolution ( fa, انقلاب اسلامی, Enqelâb-e Eslâmī), was a series of events that culminated in the overthrow of the Pahlavi dynas ...
. * Prof. Mahmoud Akhondi (محمود آخوندى) was born ii 1933. He is an eminent Swiss-trained law professor. His 10 volume book on criminal prosecution is a major textbook in Iranian law schools. * Colonel Husein Bybordi ( حسين بايبوردي ) was born in
Ahar Ahar ( fa, italic=yes, اهر, az, اهر) is a city and capital of Ahar County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. According to the 2016 census, Ahar was the fourth most populated city of the province with a population of 100,641 in 20,844 fam ...
and retired from Army in 1959. He wrote and published two books on the history of Arasbaran. This book is, perhaps, the only comprehensive original source on Arasbaran and the Bybordi tribe and its history as well as its migration. * Ḥusayn Dūstī (حسین دوستی), was born in Ahar. He is a prolific writer of books dealing with Arasbaran.


See also

*
Ashik An ashik ( az, aşıq, ; tr, âşık; fa, عاشیق) or ashugh ( hy, աշուղ; ka, აშუღი) is traditionally a singer-poet and bard who accompanies his song—be it a dastan (traditional epic story, also known as '' hikay ...
*
Babak Fort Pāpak Fort ( fa, دژ بابک) or Babak CastleBurke, Andrew and Elliott. Mark (2008) ''Iran'' Lonely Planet, Footscray, Victoria, Australiapage 159 ( fa, قلعه بابک), ″Ghal’eh-e  Baz″ is a large citadel on the top of a mountai ...
*
Karadagh khanate Karadagh Khanate (), was a khanate established in the 18th century, with its capital at Ahar. Khanate The khanate was founded in 1747 by Kazim khan Karadakhlu as an independent entity. Its territory had bordered with Talysh to east, Ardabil, Ta ...
*
Karadagh rug Karadagh rug or Karaja rug handmade in or near the village of Qarājeh (Karaja), in the Qareh Dāgh ( Karadagh) region of Iran just south of the Azerbaijan Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also so ...
*
List of biosphere reserves in Iran Under UNESCO's Man and Biosphere Reserve Programme, there are 142 biosphere reserves recognized as part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves in Asia and the Pacific as of April 2016. These are distributed across 24 countries in the region. Th ...


References

{{Portalbar, Iran Regions of Iran Biosphere reserves of Iran Geography of Iran Geography of East Azerbaijan Province