Skip to content
Pitt Rivers Museum
AboutHire the MuseumNewsletterUniversity of Oxford

2009.4.1

Hand-knotted rug with a raised pile. Worked in a design of predominantly firearms, helicopters and the map of Afghanistan.

On display

2009.4.1

Digital asset copyright: Pitt Rivers Museum, University of Oxford

Terms and Conditions

If you wish to order a high-resolution image and/or licence its use for print or web publication, exhibition, film, promotional product or any other use, whether in the academic or commercial sector of any print run, then please visit photographic services.

Collection type
Object
Description
Hand-knotted rug with a raised pile. Worked in a design of predominantly firearms, helicopters and the map of Afghanistan.
Long description
Hand-knotted rug with a raised pile. Worked in a design of predominantly firearms, helicopters and the map of Afghanistan. The rug depicts weaponry and the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan. The rug is worked in predominantly red, blue, green and brown on a light beige or cream coloured background. The top section of the rug depicts an AK 47 assault rifle, four helicopters and a tank. There is a woven inscription in Farsi [?] and also 'AIR PLA', '207', and 'TANK'. Three armoured vehicles are shown leaving along a road, probably the Salang highway (the main route of retreat for Soviet forces). Also in the top third of the rug is a flag. The flag consists of three vertical stripes woven in red, yellow/ brown, and green. It is possible that this flag represents the flag of Afghanistan 1929-1974 [Kingdom of Afghanistan and Republic of Afghanistan and also used today], but the colours used were black, red, green. However, flags of Afghanistan after 1974 and before 2002 were either one solid colour or of three horizontal stripes. The central section depicts the map of Afghanistan worked in brown wool. The map is inscribed 'AFGHANIST', 'LOE' and 'TAS.' Inside the map are two tanks, one armoured personnel carrier, four helicopters, two of which are in nose-down attack mode. A Soviet fighter plane which is on fire has also been worked into the map. In the section of the rug below the map of Afghanistan are inscriptions 'KISTAN', 'THEAFGHANISIA' and 'KET AND KOB'. This section depicts three personnel carriers, an AK 47 assault rifle with full stock, two rocket propelled grenade launchers and two different types of hand grenade. The bottom of the rug is inscribed 'MADE IN AIGHANISIAN'. The rug is edged with a border of red and blue triangles, divided by a beige coloured zigzag line. [MdeA 09/03/2009]
Geographical reference
Afghanistan
Asia > Southern Asia > Afghanistan
Kabul
Person
Field collector Unknown Collector
PRM source Helen Adams
Date / Period
Date made: Before 02/2009
Date collected
By February 2008
Acquisition information
Donated: 05/02/2009
Materials and processes
Material Wool Yarn Animal, Material Cotton Seed Fibre Yarn Plant, Process Knotted, Process Inscribed
Dimensions
Width: max 550 mm, Length: max 780 mm
Object numbers
Accession number: 2009.4.1

Search terms: Textile, Furniture Dwelling, Firearm Weapon, Picture and Graphic Art, Rug, Map, Weapon

Further items to explore