Afghan war rug - Tora Bora

This war rug was produced after 2003, shortly after the Coalition forces routed the Taliban in Afghanistan. The rug consists of a map of Afghanistan which highlights the Tora Bora region in the east and images on the tips of the mountains appear to represent the frequent bombings in the area as the United States hunted for Osama bin Laden. The images of the rug showcase many of the elements used in the 'war on terror'- tanks, grenades, F-16s, Chinook helicopters and various types of guns. Afghan war rugs provide an important and unique perspective on the political history of conflict in Afghanistan. War rugs were originally produced as a result of the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in 1979. The rugs were woven by members of tribal groups with long traditions of carpet weaving including the Hazara, Uzbek, Turkoman and Baluch, who occupy regions on the Afghan-Iran border. Originally intended as souvenirs for the occupying Russian forces, traditional flower, bird , animal and vase motifs were replaced by those inspired by Soviet tanks, helicopters and weapons. Many were sold on to the markets in Kabul and begn to be produced for markets in Europe and the United States. War rugs have now been woven to reflect the many periods of conflict that have occured in Afghanistan; the Soviet invasion (1979-80), the civil war, leadership under Najibullah and the Mujahideen (1993-1996), Taliban rule (1996-2001) and the current 'war against terrorism' (2001- ).