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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
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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.
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Afghan Akstafa copy

 

 

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