Afghan rug

Afghan women from the western part of the country showing traditional Adraskan Afghan carpets.

An Afghan rug (or Afghan carpet) is a type of handwoven floor-covering textile traditionally made in Afghanistan. Many of the Afghan rugs are also woven by Afghan refugees who reside in Pakistan and Iran. In any case, Afghan rugs are genuine, charming — and usually phenomenally inexpensive. One of the most exotic and distinctive of all oriental rugs is the Shindand or Adraskan (named after local Afghan towns), woven in the Herat area, in western Afghanistan. Strangely elongated human and animal figures are their signature look. The carpet can be sold across Afghanistan with the most based in Mazar-e Shariff.

Another staple of Afghanistan is Baluchi rugs, most notably Baluchi prayer rugs. They are made by Afghanistan's Baloch people, also in the south-western part of the country. Most of the weavers in Afghanistan are the Ersari Turkmen, but other smaller groups such as Chub Bash and Kizil Ayaks are also in the line of weaving rugs. In addition, Uzbeks, Kyrgyz, Kazakhs, and Arabs label their rugs according to their ethnic group. See picture on the right margin.

Various vegetable and other natural dyes are used to produce the rich colors. The rugs are mostly of medium sizes. Many patterns and colors are used, but the traditional and most typical is that of the octagonal elephant's foot (Bukhara) print, often with a red background. The weavers also produce other trappings of the nomadic lifestyle, including tent bags and ceremonial pieces.

The famous Bukhara print.

See also

• War rugs

External links

• Tribal Carpets of Afghanistan