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Roudi F, Raie H, Mohammadmoradi A. (2025). Introducing Samoun as a Part of the Pastoral Landscape in Iran Case Study: Samoun Tattersaq in Mazandaran Province. Athar. 46(108), 117-148. doi:10.22034/Athar.1838
URL: http://athar.richt.ir/article-2-1838-en.html

Abstract
The pastoral heritage in the rural areas of Iran, especially in the village, faces many challenges. Climatic changes, migration and turning from the traditional livestock system to an industrial one have caused its decline and oblivion. This research examines the Samoun system in the pastoral heritage of Baladeh, focusing on the Tattersaq sector. The main goal of this research is to document and analyze the architectural and cultural features of the Samoun system in the pastoral heritage of Baladeh. The main question of the research is how the Samoun system in the pastoral heritage of Baladeh and Tattersaq village helps to preserve and sustain this heritage? The main hypothesis is that the Samoun system, with its special features, plays an important role in preserving and transmitting local and cultural knowledge related to traditional farming and animal husbandry. This research uses the descriptive-analytical method. Data were collected through field observation, interviews with local people and review of written sources. Data analysis has been done using qualitative methods. The results of the research show that the Samoun system in the pastoral heritage of the town and Tattersaq village, with its special architectural and cultural features, has four types of hidden values and plays an important role in preserving and transmitting local and cultural knowledge related to traditional animal husbandry. This system can be used as a model to preserve and revive pastoral heritage in other rural areas of Iran.
Keywords: Samoun, Agricultural Heritage, Pastoral Landscape, Cultural Heritage, Tattersaq.

Introduction
Pastoral livelihoods in rural Iran, particularly in Baladeh, Mazandaran, are deeply intertwined with socio-cultural and ecological systems. Herd size signifies wealth, while livestock inheritance stabilizes familial status (Roudi et al., 2024). Pastures, vital for biodiversity and subsistence, face threats from climate change, rural-urban migration, and industrialization (Pauler et al., 2025). This study investigates Samoun a traditional system in Baladeh’s Tattersaq sector that historically integrated grazing, agricultural, and ecological zones, safeguarding bio cultural heritage.  
Samoun, a vernacular boundary framework, harmonized resource use, connecting habitats, farmlands, and pastures. However, declining pastoralism risks eroding its socio-ecological functions. This research asks: How does Samoun preserve pastoral heritage in Baladeh and Tattersaq? It hypothesizes that Samoun’s architectural and cultural features sustain traditional knowledge linked to farming and animal husbandry.  
Using a descriptive-analytical approach, data were gathered via field observations, interviews, and document analysis. Findings reveal Samoun embodies four latent values: ecological resilience, maintaining soil and water health; cultural continuity, transmitting indigenous practices; social cohesion, reinforcing communal resource governance; and architectural ingenuity, reflecting adaptive landscape use. For instance, its terraced pastures prevent erosion, while shared grazing calendars optimize seasonal mobility (Zamanipour et al., 2010).  
Local narratives highlight Samoun’s role in preserving herbal medicine knowledge and folk traditions (Hasty et al., 2022). Yet, urbanization disrupts intergenerational knowledge transfer, threatening these systems (Firoozrooz et al., 2014). By documenting Samoun’s spatial and functional layers, this study underscores its potential as a model for reviving pastoral heritage in Iran. Safeguarding such systems demands integrating traditional practices into modern conservation policies, ensuring the survival of Iran’s pastoral legacy.

Samoun Tattersaq in Baladeh Noor 
Samoun Tattersaq, located in the Baladeh Noor region (initial name: Darbandak) (Muhaddes Nouri, 2003), comprises three villages Razan, Tirestaq, and Korsi and serves as the easternmost pasture unit with an average elevation of 2,000 meters. The area links the Chalus and Haraz roads and hosts 54 villages across three districts (Heidari & Barani, 2009). Residents, primarily semi-nomadic herders speaking Tabari-Kojuri dialects, migrate seasonally to cities like Amol and Tehran (Ashrafi, 1998).  
Residential Zone: The core includes villages with human and livestock sub-zones. Human settlements feature stepped houses, mosques, Imamzadehs (e.g., Aqa Sheikh Niku, Imamzadeh Ebrahim), and cemeteries (Ashrafi, 1998). Livestock areas include Kolum (livestock shelters), Kahn-Anbar (hay storage), and Vash-Kapa (fodder storage).  Kolum structures, built from stone and wood, adapt seasonally: in Razan, they shelter cattle, while sheep graze remotely (Figure 15) (Nadimi et al., 2017).  
Rangeland Zone: Divided into grazing and structural sub-zones. Seasonal pastures include Lar (summer highlands), Nesem (spring/autumn mid-elevations), and Kherto (winter lowlands) Infrastructure includes Gesn Sareh (seasonal herder camps with Kimeh shelters), Telar (winter livestock barns), and water systems (Noveh wooden troughs). Boundaries are marked by stone cairns (Roodi, 2019 interview).  
Agricultural Zone: Combines croplands and structural elements. Crops (wheat, barley) and orchards (apples, walnuts) surround villages. Structures include Kalak (granaries), Karoch (field boundaries), Hasel (water reservoirs), and Kimeh (temporary shelters). Water channels (Kileh) distribute irrigation, maintained communally (Rahimian, 2023). 
The integration of these zones reflects adaptive land-use practices, balancing pastoralism, agriculture, and seasonal mobility (Smith & Brown, 2019). Field studies highlight the role of cultural and environmental factors in shaping the region’s spatial organization (Saidi, 2024). 

Discussion 
The Samoun Tattersaq, an integral part of the Bladeh region’s pastoral heritage, comprises three functional areas and six zones, holding inherent values crucial for regional sustainability (Anabestani, Saeedi, & Darvish, 2012). These values encompass environmental, socio-cultural, architectural, and economic aspects.
Environmentally, the spatial positioning of Samoun Tattersaq reflects indigenous knowledge, with water resources, fertile lands, and suitable climate playing key roles. Shepherds maintained a balance between living spaces, livestock, and pastures, forming three interconnected areas: a residential core, an agricultural layer, and a grazing periphery. This daily movement between residence and livelihood has ensured the sustainability of Samoun Tattersaq, preserving its geographical and environmental values.
Socio-cultural values, the foundation of Samoun Tattersaq, include inherited traditions, local customs, and indigenous knowledge related to agriculture, animal husbandry, handicrafts, and traditional arts (interview with Javad Roudi, 2022). The social system, characterized by cooperation and mutual respect, fosters a secure environment for the local community.
Architecturally, the region’s structures reflect a deep understanding of climate and functional needs. The architecture adapts to the climate, with each area defining its architectural elements based on climate, environment, and economy. Local materials and the construction expertise of residents contribute to preserving architectural values.
Economically, agriculture and animal husbandry sustain the rural economy (Jamshidi, 2024). The community relies on these activities, with land, livestock, and water resources enhancing economic stability (Hosseini, Forouzani, & Abdshahi, 2023). The system of ownership, cultivation, and production, rooted in the experiential knowledge of shepherds, dictates economic values. Additionally, values related to agricultural and rural tourism have emerged (Bălan & Burghelea, 2015).

Conclusion
This paper, examining Samoun Tattersaq, concludes that the Samoun serves as a customary framework for defining pastoral, residential, and livelihood boundaries, with mountain ridges as the determining criterion. Each mountain ridge belongs to a village, separating its pasture from neighboring villages. The Samoun in the Baladeh region of Mazandaran comprises three main areas: residential, grazing, and agricultural, each with specific zones.
The residential area includes zones for human and animal habitation, the grazing area includes pasture and physical structure zones, and the agricultural area includes cultivation and physical structure zones. Each of these areas and zones contains tangible, intangible, and non-physical elements that constitute the inherent values of these landscapes and Samouns. These values have played a significant role in the region’s sustainability throughout history, encompassing environmental, social, architectural, and economic dimensions. Examining these values helps to better understand the Samoun Tattersaq and its related elements.
Unfortunately, the physical and functional identity and authenticity of many Samouns are changing due to migration, career changes, and inappropriate construction. With the decline in the number of active shepherds and economic difficulties, preserving these values without the presence of local communities will be challenging.
To protect this valuable heritage, it is suggested that these areas be studied as a Samoun from the perspective of pastoral life in Baladeh, Mazandaran, and that efforts be made to register them in the list of national monuments. The people of Samoun can contribute to economic development by continuing livestock production and establishing cooperatives and processing industries. Furthermore, utilizing tourism opportunities such as agritourism and farm tourism can help create employment and sustain the pastoral landscape in the region, serving as a suitable model to be considered.