A handwoven Belouch sheep wool war rug, with a design of tanks and helicopters on a buff ground, with a red and blue geometric border
1990s
206cm x 122cm
Belouch (or Baluchi) rugs are made by the nomadic tribes from the area of Eastern Iran and Western Afghanistan. The weaving tradition is thousands of years old, but written records mention trading relations with the West from the early 1800s.
The Belouch rugs are typically woven on a cotton base with sheep and camel wool, with patterns on a buff ground surrounded by a red and cobalt border. They were used in tents and as part of a nomadic household had to be made to last.
In 1979 with the onset of the Soviet-Afghan war this old tradition was given a new twist: the local artisans started incorporating warfare motifs: tanks, helicopters, bombs and grenades. The current example is a classic of its kind.
A handwoven Belouch sheep wool war rug, with a design of tanks and helicopters on a buff ground, with a red and blue geometric border
1990s
206cm x 122cm
Belouch (or Baluchi) rugs are made by the nomadic tribes from the area of Eastern Iran and Western Afghanistan. The weaving tradition is thousands of years old, but written records mention trading relations with the West from the early 1800s.
The Belouch rugs are typically woven on a cotton base with sheep and camel wool, with patterns on a buff ground surrounded by a red and cobalt border. They were used in tents and as part of a nomadic household had to be made to last.
In 1979 with the onset of the Soviet-Afghan war this old tradition was given a new twist: the local artisans started incorporating warfare motifs: tanks, helicopters, bombs and grenades. The current example is a classic of its kind.
