Size: 1.55 X 1.00
Afghanistan has a variety of rugs in their collection, some of which are quite famous and their designs have been incorporated through other cultural influences. Examples of these are Khal Mohammedi, Hachaloo (four gates of paradise), Khunduz, and the newly created Kargai rugs.
Their designs originated from Herat, in the western part of Afghanistan, which has a history of over two thousand five hundred years and was once occupied by Alexander the Great, and subsequently invaded by Mongols led by Genghis Khan and then Tamerlan in the 13th century. Herat was considered part of the Persian Empire, and the Persian influence in carpet making in Herat is still seen.
An Afghan rug may be one of a few different styles of rug, but most commonly, the term refers to either the Bokhara print or the more contemporary Afghan war rug. Most Afghan rugs are referred to by their region of origin or by the name of the tribe that makes them. An Afghan rug does not necessarily come from Afghanistan — some styles come from regions of neighbouring Uzbekistan, and other Middle Eastern countries have adopted the Afghani style in their own rug making. There are three major types of Afghan rug, based on region or tribal affiliation: Afghan Turkestan, Baluch, and Herati.
An Afghan rug from the border of Uzbekistan belongs to the Afghan Turkestan family of rugs and may be from a number of different tribes. Khunduz rugs are perhaps the most well known, with their very tight knots in the Persian style. Andkhoy, Alti Bolaq, Sulayman, Maimana, Aq Shah, Barmazid, and Qarqeen are other tribal groups that produce high-quality Afghan rugs in the Turkestan region.
This one is woven with very