• Afghan war rug camel wool Baluchi
  • Afghan war rug camel wool Baluchi
  • AF0078_9-10×6-5_O128_03w
  • AF0078_9-10×6-5_O128_05w
  • AF0078_9-10×6-5_O128_07w
  • AF0078_9-10×6-5_O128_08w
  • AF0078_9-10×6-5_O128_10w
  • AF0078_9-10×6-5_O128_12w
  • AF0078_9-10×6-5_O128_19w
  • AF0078_9-10×6-5_O128_16w
  • AF0078_9-10×6-5_O128_17w
  • AF0078_9-10×6-5_O128_18w
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Large Afghan Baluchi War Rug with Camel Wool Field — 9 ft. 10 in. by 6 ft. 5 in.

$595.00

Afghan war rug loaded with weaponry, including tanks, helicopters and hand grenades.

In stock

Description

Afghan war rug loaded with weaponry, including tanks, helicopters and hand grenades. Very rare to find them woven in a large size — they are nearly all small rugs.

No wear at all but it does have some tiny color blemishes. Possibly from a wash or a spill. They are very faint and small and I’ve taken photos of them with the silver dollar. Otherwise the rug is in mint pristine condition without wear. Last photo with Morgan silver dollar shows back of the carpet.

Exact size is 9 ft. 10 in. by 6  ft. 5 in.

All camel wool serves as the canvas for the rows of weapons. The field color is un-dyed

War rugs are a very recent tradition in Afghanistan as they first emerged during the decade of Soviet occupation that began in 1979 and ended in 1989 when Gorbachev removed the last Soviet garrisons. However, the civil war continued even after the last stable government collapsed — 3 years after the exit of the Soviet Union.

Internecine warfare went on until the U.S. invasion of 2003, and persisted throughout the U.S. occupation of the country. The U.S. occupation of two decades lasted over twice as long as the Soviet occupation — and ended in a chaotic withdrawal. After 20 years, over two trillion dollars spent, and two hundred thousand deaths, the U.S. replaced the Taliban with the Taliban. The wars seem to be over but the weavers will continue to craft war rugs, most exported through Pakistan.

Civil war actually began in the mid 70s so Afghanistan has now been at war for nearly five decades. With its strong tradition of rug weaving among the Baluch and Turkoman tribes of Afghanistan, it seems almost natural — if tragic — that weavers would incorporate the machines and images of war into their art. War rugs seem well established and probably will persist for years to come.

Tanks, helicopters, jets, ‘war cars’, bombs, missiles, and Soviet Kalashnikovs –AK47s — are the most common images. Some rugs even incorporate images of jets crashing into the Twin Towers on 9/11. Baluch weavers seem to prefer rows of tanks and jets, while Turkoman weavers are fond of AK-47 automatic rifles and bolder colors.

Shipping within U.S. is $69. Possible pickup in Northern California with PRIOR arrangment.

Please email me with questions. Thank you.

 

(AF0078    O128)