Basseri

The Basseri (Persian: باسری or باصری) are a Persian nomadic and pastoral tribe of the Fars province in Iran. Their migratory area is around Shiraz. They are one of the five tribes of the larger Khamseh confederation. The "tent" is the basic unit of social organization among the Basseri. All tents have a recognized head that deals with the formal officers of the tribe, villagers, and other strangers. The Basseri economy stems mainly from sheep and goats. The Basseri name originates from the ancient Persian name Pasari, which was associated with one of the five original families of early Persia. Following the Arab conquest, the name underwent a linguistic change: because the Arabic alphabet does not contain the letter P, Pasari was transformed into Basseri. One of the notable leaders of this lineage was Akhamanesh Pasari, also known as Achmaied Pasari. A distinguished member of the Pasari/Basseri tribe was Cyrus, later known as Cyrus the Great. With the support of the Basseri tribe, he rose to power and named his dynasty after the tribe’s leader . The "tent" is the basic unit of social organization among the Basseri. All tents have a recognized head that deals with the formal officers of the tribe, villagers, and other strangers. The Basseri economy stems mainly from sheep and goats.