LURISTAN, or Lûristàn, a province of western Persia, with ill-defined limits, but lying mainly between 31° and 33° N. lat. and between 47° and 52° E. long., and bounded N. and E. by Irak-Adjemi, S. by Farsistan, W. by Khuzistan and the Turkish vilayet of Baghdad. It thus stretches north-west and south-east some 260 miles, with a mean breadth of 70 miles and an area of rather less than 20,000∙ square miles. The surface is mostly mountainous, being occupied in the west by the Pusht-i-koh range, which forms the frontier line towards Turkey, in the east by the Bakhtiari (Zagros) range, which runs northwest and south-east, thus connecting the Kurdistan· with the Kuh-Dinar or Farsistan highland systems. Between the parallel Pusht-i-koh and Bakhtiari chains there stretch some naturally fertile plains and low hilly districts, which, however, are little cultivated, although well-watered by the Karan, Dizful, and Kerkhah, the three· chief rivers of the province. There are two main divisions— Luri Buzurg, or “Great Luristan,” comprising the Bakhtiari highlands westwards to river Dizful, and Luri Kuchak, or “Little Luristan,” stretching thence to Khuzistan and Turkey. The latter is again divided into the Pesh-koh and Pusht-i-koh districts (“before” and “behind” the mountains), and notwithstanding its name is by far the most populous and productive of the two. From the 12th to the 17th century it formed an independent principality under hereditary rulers with the title of “atabeg,” the last of whom was deposed by Shah Abbas, and the government transferred to Husen Khan, chief of the Faili tribe, with the title of “vali.” His descendants are still at the head of the administration; but the power of the valis has been much reduced since the transfer ...of the Pesh-koh district to Kirmanshah.
Lriristan takes its name from the Luri, a semi-nomad people of Iranian stock and speech, who still form the vast majority of the population. Great uncertainty has hitherto prevailed regarding the nomenclature, the main divisions and the true affinity of the Luri to the other branches of the Iranian family. Thus, from the name of the present ruling clan all the tribes of Luri Kuchak are commonly spoken of as “Faili,” a term which is now rejected by the Pesh-koh tribes, and which, if used at all as a general ethnical expression, ought to be restricted to those of Pusht-i-koh, still under the rule of the vali. The classifications of Layard, Bawlin-son, and A. H. Schindler differ materially, while contradictory statements are made by well-informed writers regarding the physical and linguistic relations of the Luri to the neighbouring Kurds and Persians. From a careful consideration of the available evidence it would appear that the Luri are the true aborigines of their present domain, where they occupy an intermediate position between the Kurds and Persians, but resembling the former much more than the latter in speech, temperament, social habits, and physical appearance. Although they themselves reject the name of Kurd, the two languages are essentially one, so that the natives of Kirmanshah and Dizful have little difficulty in conversing together. Like the Kurds, they are also of a restless and unruly disposition, averse from a settled life, still dwellers in tents, mostly owners of flocks and herds, holding agriculture in contempt, and of predatory habits. “In appearance the Bakhtiari look rather fierce, owing probably to the mode of life they lead; the features of their face are cast in a rough mould, but although coarse they are in general regular. Their black eyes look wild and expressive, and the two black tufts of hair behind their ears give them, if possible, a still darker appearance. They are muscular built, and are chiefly of a middle stature” (E. Balfour). In a word, the Luri must be classed anthropologically in the same group as the Kurds. They are excellent stockbreeders, and their horses and mules are regarded as the very best in Persia. Of the mules, about a thousand are annually exported to the surrounding provinces. Most of the hard work is left to the women, who tend the flocks, till the little land under cultivation, tread out the corn, and weave the carpets, black goat-hair tents, and horse cloths for which Luristan is famous. The men put their hands to no useful work, go about armed, and are always ready for a foray. Their constant intertribal feuds render the country unsafe for trade and travel, while their revolts against the central government often cause a total interruption of communication between the several districts. This evil, however, has somewhat abated since the tribal chiefs have been compelled to give hostages as security for their good behaviour.
Outwardly Mohammedans of the Shiah sect, the Lιiri show little veneration either for the Prophet or the Koran. Their religion seems to be a curious mixture of Ali-∏ahism, involving a belief in successive incarnations and the worship of the national saint, Baba Buzurg, combined with many mysterious rites, sacrifices, and secret meetings certainly anterior to Islam, and possibly traceable to the ancient rites of Mithras and Anaitis.
The chiefs enjoy almost unlimited authority over their subjects, and the tribal organization is strongly marked by the feudal spirit.
The total population of Luristan is about 320,000, and the average revenue nearly £40,000 sterling.
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