Afghan war rug (September 11th war rug)

The 'September 11th' war rug is a very recent example of a rug reflecting contemporary events. It depicts a map of Afghanistan, with a superimposed world globe on top of the map, a representation of a Boeing 757, the aircraft used in the Bombing of the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon in the United States. Next to the map of Afghanistan is also an image of a stylised plane with the words ' B52' next to it. In the upper left of the rug is an RPG-7, a rocket propelled grenade launcher and to the right a US Blackhawk helicopter.The rug, recording and blending historical events, geographic regions, images of US planes and weapons with a traditional geometric border of stylised shapes, in ochre, blue, deep red and black, is unique. War rugs were initially produced as a result of the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in 1979 and were intended as souvenirs for the Russian occupying forces. War rugs have now been woven to reflect the many periods of conflict that have occurred in Afghanistan. they are primarily made by members of the Uzbek, Baluch, Turkmen and Hazara ethnic groups who, most recently, have fled the dominance of the Taliban. The majority of contemporary war rugs are made in the refugee camps at Peshawar or Quetta in Pakistan's north-western frontier province.