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Guide to new
Afghan Rugs
First time published in Oriental
Rug Notes. This short extract of the original
article is republished by courtesy of the author J. Barry
O'Connell.
Afghanistan opened to the western World in the 1960s and 70s and then the
Russians invaded in 1979. Change started and by the 1980s and 90s entirely
different rugs were seen.We still see the traditional Afghan rugs like the 3' by 5' Andkhoy
Turkmen (right below) but we began to see drastically different rugs like
the Afghan Kazak (left below). Rugs like that were never seen in the 1970s
but by the 1990s they became a significant part of the production.
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Afghan Kazak |

Andkhoy
Turkmen |
Afghan Kazak
Up until recently Afghan rugs tended to be loose floopy unsophisticated
village rugs. Then in the last 20 years better made rugs often in
Caucasian designs began to show up in the market. These are often called
Afghan Kazaks or Khargai rugs. Afghan Kazak is obvious, it means an Afghan
rug often in Caucasian design. Khargai refers to the new looms made out of
steel. Better looms allow weavers to weave better rugs. |

Afghan Akstafa copy
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