8/17/2004: Traditional Afghan rugs now display war

At first glance they look like the rugs woven for hundreds of years by the tribal peoples of Afghanistan. But instead of traditional abstract motifs such as water jugs, chickens, blossoms and horses, these rugs depict tanks, paisley-shaped helicopters, jets, hand grenades and Kalashnikov rifles.

Swordsmen on horseback had been the most martial images found on tribal rugs, up until the Soviets invaded Afghanistan in 1979. But the invasion gave Afghans an abrupt introduction to modern warfare. As Afghan men rose up to fight, women (for nearly all rugs are woven by women) began weaving these new sights into their rugs.

And the rug above is really special: because the woman who wove it inserted her own image into it, secretly. The three bombers across the top there, in red, green, red, are not bombers at all. They are women in burqas. From warrug.com:

Given that the weavers and artists warrug.com proudly supports are the poster-people for oppression, we would be absolutely remiss to not point out that the artist of this rug is saying –I am here. This is my story-. The Taliban strictly follows the laws of the Qu’ran that forbids the depiction of any living thing (when you call to order this rug, ask one of our sales representatives to tell you an interesting story about this shr’ia law). The artist would have been stoned for depicting herself, so she subtly hides the image within the other weaponry, making the formless shape of the burka cleverly resemble a plane. This is a piece of art that truly tells the story of the weaver. Where she lived, when, and how. An excellent reminder to us all how far we have come in the fight for women’s rights here in America, and how far we still need to go.

And you can buy them at warrug.com

Forbes article

Sunday, I sent them an email telling them that on rug 309, I think they misidentified a H-46 Sea Knight as a CH-47 Chinook. Just trying to help. :biggrinje

On ya Bruce :thumbsup: , you're always there to lend a helping hand.

What a beautiful rug--it's really a piece of artwork.

Nice, but I get all my war rugs at warcarpets.com. It's sort of like the whole pets.com vs petco.com thang, only with disturbing carpets instead of chewy toys and leashes.

BTW, those Twin Towers rugs with the bodies falling and the mis-spelled English are just plain creepy.

God I just had a look at all the other rugs made, those people are friggin sick to make such things. :rar:

I used to work for a import textile company and I saw a series of these in the late 80s. Beautifully made and really, really haunting. They were mixed into a shipment of traditional patterns.

Its kind of, but not exactly, like the pieced and embroidered Hmong story cloths. image of story cloth These narrative pieces were started in Thai refugee camps to try and record.

UT--Nobody cares about the disenfranchised women of the Middle East! For shame! Actually, no one cares about women at all--if they did there would be more love, less war. In the immortal words of our Haiku master--NBN--LOOK IT UP!

With the advent of the linear alphabet, the demise of the goddess was secured.

Let me go on record that I support the liberation of women from oppressive clothing.

Even so little as a thong cannot be comfortable to the wearer.

Brianna wrote:

UT--Nobody cares about the disenfranchised women of the Middle East! For shame! Actually, no one cares about women at all--if they did there would be more love, less war. In the immortal words of our Haiku master--NBN--LOOK IT UP!

With the advent of the linear alphabet, the demise of the goddess was secured.

You've been drinking, haven't you? :eyebrow:

Some feminist wacko wrote a book about the alphabet thing a couple years ago.

Those rugs have been around since the Russians tried to invade Afghanistan.

I really like the one with the crossed AKs. Very cool. Would look lovely in my entryway.

Leah wrote:

God I just had a look at all the other rugs made, those people are friggin sick to make such things. :rar:

I don't see how the tanks and bombs and war machines are any more sick than weaving rugs with swordsmen on horseback featured. The women are weaving about their lives and about what they say. I'm sure if Afghanistan was currently being invaded and set upon by armies of sword wielding horsemen, then they would still show up in the rugs. Same subject, different era, that's all.

I want one!

The artist would have been stoned for depicting herself, so she subtly hides the image within the other weaponry, making the formless shape of the burka cleverly resemble a plane.

It makes for a poignant story, but I call BS. The women weaving these rugs are no less devout Muslims than the men. If Islamic law said it's blasphemous to put an image of a living thing in the rug, they are not going to break that law.

We can find ambigious hidden meanings and secrets in just about anything if we try hard enough, that doesn't mean they're really there. It's a bit too much Bible Code or Da Vinci Code for me.

I think they're just planes.

axlrosen wrote:

The women weaving these rugs are no less devout Muslims than the men. If Islamic law said it's blasphemous to put an image of a living thing in the rug, they are not going to break that law.

My understanding is that it was the Taliban's interpretation of Islamic law that the women were trying to get around. I don't think the Afghan women were big fans of the Taliban.

axlrosen wrote:

It makes for a poignant story, but I call BS. The women weaving these rugs are no less devout Muslims than the men. If Islamic law said it's blasphemous to put an image of a living thing in the rug, they are not going to break that law.

On the twin towers rugs, there are people falling from the towers.

Technically, I don't think they qualify as "living" at that point, even though they were until shortly after they are depicted.

Besides, they are infidels.

I thought I saw some other rugs with figures on them, though ...

Yeah, I don't think it's so much a question of breaking the law as it is subverting it. Artists and artisans have done it all over the world for centuries. There's a great Brazilian song by Jorge Ben using the metaphor of a football (soccer) player to suggest the struggle against Brazil's then-dictatorship that comes to mind.

Alan Paton, from Cry the Beloved Country:
"In the deserted harbour there is yet water that laps against the quays. In the dark and silent forest there is a leaf that falls. Behind the polished paneling the white ant eats away the wood. Nothing is ever quiet, except for fools."

Also, burqas aren't alive. They could be empty burqas on the rug.

There are rugs with (male) human figures on them on the "collectible" page.

Katkeeper wrote:

I want one!

There you go UT, that takes care of Christmas. :)

Except that the one I want costs $750... It's the one with the butterflies.

Except hell. Are you sure one is enough? ;)

Written like a true collector of Doodads!

I saw these "in person" today.

The guy from warrug.com is at the Gun Show at Valley Forge Convention Center. If you want one without having to pay shipping, he'll be there tomorrow also (9/19/04). I won't be going back tomorrow because i have a psychic faire to attend in Allentown.

They are actually extremely high quality, well made rugs.

There were at least three that I really wanted. The smallest ones were going for about $150 ... including the 9/11 rugs. There were also quite a few pro-American "War on Terror" rugs that were thanking the US for getting rid of the Taliban.

I got an email this past week, from Kevin Sudeith, President of Warrug, Inc. He seems like a very nice guy. :)

He might be the guy at the show ... lives up in Long Island City?

My wife said, "I found something that will cheer you up." and showed me this post. :) You folks' discussion hits all the important points about war rugs. Its gratifying to see that other people's dialog shares my interest in the rugs.

At first glance they look like the rugs woven for hundreds of years by the tribal peoples of Afghanistan. But instead of traditional abstract motifs such as water jugs, chickens, blossoms and horses, these rugs depict tanks, paisley-shaped helicopters, jets, hand grenades and Kalashnikov rifles.

My first, and enduring, interest is combination of the very traditional artform, rug weaving, combined with the most contemporary imagery.

Sunday, I sent them an email telling them that on rug 309, I think they misidentified a H-46 Sea Knight as a CH-47 Chinook. Just trying to help

Thanks Bruce, it took a while but I noted your feedback in the descriptions.

God I just had a look at all the other rugs made, those people are friggin sick to make such things.

On the one hand, the rugs show the reality of life in Afghanistan for the last 25 years, and the best rugs give the most personal view. On the other hand, I feel you regarding the people jumping out. On the third hand, most Americans who buy WTC rugs, want the people jumping out.

Nobody cares about the disenfranchised women of the Middle East

The fight for equality/rights happens at home, and most of our rugs are woven at home, because of the purdah (seperation of women). Our approach is to empower the women by letting them weave what they want and by paying them very well for their work (a rug woven by a weaver in our "Project Empowerment" takes about six weeks and grosses four times the annual income for the average Afghan family) The idea is, if we give the women respect and the power of the purse, it helps them in their own struggle for equality.

The women weaving these rugs are no less devout Muslims than the men. If Islamic law said it's blasphemous to put an image of a living thing in the rug, they are not going to break that law.

Most of the weavers are tribal / semi-nomadic people and not the most orthodox. As a result tribal rugs typically show animals, birds, and sometimes people. During the Taliban years anything with animate imagery was destroyed.

<i>sewing circles of Herat</i>Christina Lamb pg. 15<br>...market stall was burnt down for selling Malysian soap because printed on the green and yellow packets was a silhouteet of a woman;...

I can understand a weaver changing her vocabulary in order to not loose weeks of hard work and her family's only means of earning money.

Yeah, I don't think it's so much a question of breaking the law as it is subverting it. Artists and artisans have done it all over the world for centuries.

I agree, and efforts to subvert are interesting. Reminds me of George Carlin, "you can prick your finger, but you cant finger your prick". <br>Most of the figurative rugs come from the pre-Taliban era. Even in regular Afghan rugs, not war rugs, the figurative patterns only came back on the market again in mid 2002, and they are still not as common as before the civil war. (I created a web page illustrating this point with photos, but I dont want to get banned on my first post- somebody tell me if its okay, and I will post it)

Except that the one I want costs $750... It's the one with the butterflies.

That one went to a psyop guy with a butterfly garden (no kidding)
<br>
wolf, small world.
<br>
You folks seem to have a very nice community here.:thumbsup: I appreciate your commentary on my poject.
Thanks,
Kevin

Welcome Kevin... what a great project! I hope the link here has thrown some business your way / their way.

Undertoad,
Thanks, the link was good, and the coversation better. The bonus is, I learned about a nice place to hang around.
Kevin

More importantly, will you (Skateboard) be back at Valley Forge Gun Collectors Show weekend after next? (12/18-19)?

(I created a web page illustrating this point with photos, but I dont want to get banned on my first post- somebody tell me if its okay, and I will post it)

Do it. :)

Here it is:
www.artisthero.com/hales.htm
It shows the approach to figuration and how it has changed.
Thanks,
Kevin

Outstanding. Good work by you.

skateboard, where does your interest in the rugs stem from?

Every picture (rug) tells a story. It makes me wonder if the pre-soviet era rugs told of births, deaths, weddings, droughts, storms, anything that had a significant impact on their lives? Kind of like crib notes to their oral history. :)

Thank you all for your support. I am open to any/all suggestions as well.

Wolf, I enjoyed the Valley Forge Show very much in September. I camped at French Creek and it rained like crazy. I sold at Allentown the week before, and the assualt weapons ban expired between the two shows. What a difference a week makes. But I found that guns are like tools, and car mechanics are not so interested in drawings of Craftsmen wrenches. So, I regret, I will not be back next week.

Jaguar, I first saw a war rug a dinner party and thought it was cool. I like art , and contemporary art, throughout time, combines something of the moment with something traditional. Like <i>Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?</i> or <i>Cold Mountain</i> being the <i>The Odyssey</i> retold, or Rennaissance musical motifs being incorperated by the Beatles, or Larry Rivers painting the "Dutch Masters". Not to sound to highfalutin, but that combination of the old and new turns my crank.

Bruce, excellent thought. Do you mind if I use "kind of like crib notes to their oral history"? Some rugs tell very old stories such as those of Omar Khayyam, a poet from the 12th century, who liked wine, women and song, and the rugs depict this. <br><br><img src="http://www.artisthero.com/images/pictorial.jpg"><br><br> Below, is the oldest rug. It was found frozen in a tomb, and is supposedly between 2500 and 4500 years old. It features a sort of hunting scene featuring deer and a man on horseback. <br><br>
<img src="http://www.compmore.net/~tntr/pazyryk.jpg">
<br><br>Thanks, again,
Kevin

Do you mind if I use "kind of like crib notes to their oral history"?

All words are free to everyone. :)
And thank you for your input.