Oil And The Bakhtiari
In 1908, just one hundred years ago, the first Middle East oil was found – on Bakhtiari land. The images here document the:
- Very rudimentary oil 'industry' that existed in Iran before the British arrived;
- Often very difficult relationships between the Bakhtiari Khans and the early prospectors;
- Excitement of the first strike;
- Amazing achievements in laying pipes over mountains and rivers;
- Road, bridge and rail infrastructure the prospectors put into Bakhtiariland;
- Developing oil industry;
All the photographs shown in this section are reproduced from the BP Archive, with kind permission.
Nezam Bagherzade has contributed to a brief commentary on the lively relationship between the British and the Bakhtiari around oil
