Afghan Carpet

Afghan carpet, thick, heavy floor covering handwoven by Turkmen craftsmen in Afghanistan and adjacent parts of Uzbekistan. While most of the weavers could be broadly labeled Ersari Turkmen, rugs are also woven by Chub Bash, Kızıl Ayaks, and other small groups. The carpets are mostly of medium size, with a repeating octagonal figure called a gul (Persian: “flower” or “rose”); various guls are associated with specific groups. The rugs almost always have a red field. The weavers also produce other trappings of the nomadic lifestyle, including tent bags and ceremonial pieces.

Many non-Turkmen groups also live within Afghanistan, including Kirghiz, Uzbeks, Kazakhs, Arabs, and Baluchi, but rugs of these peoples are labeled according to the ethnic group that wove them.