Afghan rugs are heavy floor coverings that are handwoven by Turkmen craftsmen in Afhganistan, adjacent parts of Uzbekistan and, more recently, Turkmen refugees living in Pakistan. Weavers of these rugs can also be categorized by their tribal affiliations with most weavers coming from the Ersari group but rugs are also woven by Chub Bash, Kizil Ayaks and other smaller groups.
The rugs are characterized by a repeating octagonal motif that is called a ‘gul’ (meaning ‘flower’ or ‘rose’ in Persian) with different guls being associated with the group that wove them. Today, the quintessential Afghan rug is a wool product with the repeated octagonal gul forming the pattern. These and other types of Afghan rugs as listed below.
• Afghan or Dulatabad – this is the traditional rug that people in the Western world think of when they hear the term Afghan rug. They feature dark blue gul designs on a vivid red background. These rugs are typically made by groups located in northern Afghanistan.
• Shindand or Adraskand – named after the people that made them, these are some of the most sought after types of Afghan rugs and feature exotic designs that are similar to Oriental carpets. They often feature human and animal forms in their patterning which is quite rare since Islam generally forbids these type of representation. Shindad rugs are usually made in Heart province in north-western Afghanistan.
• Baluch – this type of rug is made by the people from the Baluch region in the western part of the country. These rugs are characteristically quite small compared to others because their creators are a nomadic people. They make the rugs on a portable loom (measuring no more than 4 feet by 2 feet) and they feature rich, vibrant patterns with blue, red and brown coloring. Traditional Baluch rugs are made with a mix of wool and goat hair while modern examples use cotton as the weave material.
• Kilim – this is a popular and relatively inexpensive type of rug made using a flat weaving technique. Kilims are widely available in the United States (particularly in New Mexico) as the colors and patterns used are similar to Mexican styles. The Kilim features a distinctive pattern consisting of small slits in the weave displaying vibrant colors.
• Mauri – these are the more luxurious examples of Afghan rugs. They are woven from silk (instead of the coarse wool used for traditional rugs) and feature a fine knotting technique that produces a straight and consistent weave.
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