Fly away on your own magic carpet!

Maymana Kilim, Afghan Tribal Arts

Handmade wool carpets and kilims are wonderful!  They are much healthier to live with than synthetic ones.  Their natural oils allows for easier cleaning and they just have so much character and depth to them.  An old one, with repairs and wear, is especially treasured by collectors and pundits.  I've often wondered what it would be like if an old carpet came to life one day and told its story.  Especially one that traveled around on a caravan....  Gabbeh, the movie, captures some of this in its story.  A young woman's longing for a young man she cannot have, she weaves her story into the rug.  Past and future are captured in the threads:

We have been working hard at getting Afghan Tribal Arts stocked on Etsy.  There is now a great selection of beads, jewelry, textiles, and finally, a few rugs.  Part of the problem is that rugs take up so much room and they are heavy.  Shipping them can be expensive.  Even though we have a good variety and number in our inventory, it's challenging to list them online.

Antique Khal Mahamadi, Afghan Tribal Arts

So, for now, we are listing a few smaller ones.  The one above, for example, is an antique, estimated to be over 100 years old.  Originally, it probably was red and brown.  There is also a newer war rug:

War Rug, Afghan Tribal Arts

War rugs became popular during the war with Russia, a way to document the story.  Now there are ones that talk about the war with the United States and about 9/11.  

To see what we have in stock on our Etsy shop, click here.   We also have many rugs, piles of them, in our Sturee Tribal Village gallery in Pendleton, South Carolina.  If you are in the neighborhood, it's worth a visit!

Piles of rugs at Sturee Tribal Village