Guide
Afghan War Rugs and 9/11 War Rugs: History, Meaning and How to Buy One
Forty years of Afghanistan’s history, knotted into wool. What these rugs are, what they show and how to choose an authentic one.
What an Afghan war rug is
Afghan war rugs are hand-knotted wool rugs that replace traditional patterns with the images of war: tanks, helicopters, rifles, grenades and maps. Weavers in Afghanistan, many of them Turkmen and Baluch women, began making them after the Soviet invasion in 1979, and they have recorded every chapter since.
Collectors, museums and veterans prize them because they are history told by the people who lived it, not by outsiders.
9/11 war rugs
After September 11, 2001, weavers began knotting the attack on the World Trade Center into their rugs: the Twin Towers, the planes, and often the American and Afghan flags side by side, sometimes with doves or words of peace. Many were woven for American soldiers and aid workers serving in Afghanistan.
Each one is a personal record of how Afghans saw that day and the war that followed, and no two are alike.
Why we carry them
Rugistan®’s founder came to the U.S. from Afghanistan and served with the U.S. military. His story was featured in TIME’s 25th-anniversary collection of first-person accounts of how 9/11 shaped American lives. Our war rugs are chosen by him and imported directly from Afghanistan.
How to tell an authentic war rug
Turn it over. A hand-knotted war rug shows every knot on the back, in the same pattern as the front. Printed or machine-made copies look flat and identical on the back.
Look for small irregularities, hand-spun wool and natural color shifts. Lettering is often misspelled or copied by eye, which is a sign of a village weaver, not a factory.
Displaying a war rug
Most war rugs are 2x3 to 4x6, a good size for a wall, an office or a den. Hang it from a sewn sleeve and rod, not nails, and keep it out of strong direct sun.
Questions
What is an Afghan war rug?
A hand-knotted wool rug from Afghanistan that shows the images of war, such as tanks, helicopters, weapons and maps, in place of traditional designs. Weavers began making them after 1979.
What is a 9/11 war rug?
An Afghan war rug that shows the September 11 attacks: the Twin Towers, the planes, and often the American and Afghan flags.
Are Afghan war rugs handmade?
Authentic ones are hand-knotted in wool in Afghanistan. Check the back: every knot shows, and the pattern matches the front.
Where can I buy an authentic Afghan war rug?
Rugistan® imports war rugs directly from Afghanistan and sells them online with free insured U.S. shipping, and in our Chicago and Evanston showrooms.