An analytical assessment of homogeneity in Lor and Kurd tribes

Lor tribe is one of the perennial and full-blooded tribes of Iran who are the settlers of expanded areas from west to the extreme southern plains of Zagross Mountains range. The ancient tribes such as Kases, Elamites, and Aryans lived in this territory. Lorestan was occupied by Aryans. From the fourth century Hejira, when the word “Lor” appeared in the historical texts by historians and in geographical texts by geographers for the first time, there were various and sometimes contradicting viewpoints over the racial origin of these two tribes. Among the historians’ and geographers’ knowing Lor tribe as Kurds prevailed. Although we cannot deny the racial and cultural unity of Lors and Kurds as both are Iranians and a great number of their population are the survivors of Iran’s ancient settlers, despite the united origin and frequent common elements, these two tribes have had an independent identity during the history, particularly from the Islamic era forward and were segregated as two main separate groups. Regarding the question “Is the Lor race a branch of the Kurd race” the attempt is made in this article to evaluate and examine the historic data through descriptive and analytic approaches by referring to library sources.