A Shahsavan Beetle Bag

This is an intact Shahsavan Khordjin that Sotheby's sattributed to circa 1900. It is similar to but younger than the Wendell and Diane Swan Moghan-Savalan Saddlebag half shown as Wertime, J. Sumak Bags of Northeast Persia and Transcaucasia. 1998 plate 71.

The Shahsavan to whom we attribute this bag are called Moghan-Savalan. This is because they winter there sheep in the lowland of the Moghan steppe and in the summer move their herds into the highlands of Mount Savalan. These tribes are one of the most important both in terms of weaving and also in terms of recent history. In 1946 the Tudeh party which was a Soviet controlled revolutionary party seized much of Azerbaijan and threatened to topple the Shah and take all of Iran. One of the leading Generals (Arfa) took a risk and armed the Moghan Savalan Shahsavan who were strongly anti-Communist. President Trueman threatened to use a nuclear device if the Russians invaded. This left it as a Persian affair even though a number of the Tudeh troops were Armenian Soviets. The Army held the capitol while the Shahsavan attacked the Communists from the rear. The capital held and the Communists were defeated

You might enjoy reading:

Beetle Bags Still Bug Me, by Wendel R. Swan, Oriental Rug Review Vol 14/6