Document Type : Original Article
Author
Assistant professor, Department of history, University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran.
Abstract
Sheep herding was the main occupation of nomads and some rural dwellers in Iran. Wool was one of the most important livestock products and a significant export commodity during the Qajar era. One of the finest types of wool originated from Karakul sheep in Sarakhs, where sheep farming was primarily conducted for the production of high-priced pelts. Numerous internal and external factors contributed to the flourishing of Karakul sheep breeding in Sarakhs. In addition to the locals, wool merchants like Kouzekonani, Kazarani, Amin-ol-Tajari, and some newly converted merchants such as the Aminaf brothers and Ebrahim Aghaiaf entered this sector. This study aims to address the following questions: What internal and external factors influenced the focus on Karakul sheep breeding in Sarakhs? What role did the merchants of Mashhad play in the proliferation of Karakul sheep and the production of lamb pelts? What were the causes of the decline and stagnation of this breed during the Pahlavi era? This research was conducted through library studies and in a descriptive manner. Records and documents indicate that the 1917 Russian Revolution led to the transfer of the geographical area for breeding Karakul sheep from Bukhara to Sarakhs and northern Afghanistan. The nationalization of Afghan trade in 1931 deprived Iranian merchants of the benefits of this trade, prompting a shift towards Karakul sheep farming. The booming pelts market in Germany, England, and America attracted prominent merchants such as Kouzekonani, Kazarani, the Aminaf brothers, Aghaiaf, and some locals in Sarakhs to engage in the breeding of Karakul sheep. This trend declined after September 1941. A reduction in the quality of lamb pelts, decreased exports, a lack of merchant investment, and outdated production methods contributed to the stagnation of Karakul sheep farming in the late Pahlavi era.
Keywords
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