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Afghan War Rugs: Helicopters at Jam War Rug

Size: 3 foot by 4 foot 11 inches.

This is a very collectable older Baluch War Rug from a German Collection and should be of real interest to serious war rug collectors.

One of the highest minarets in the world stands in a valley on the Firoz Koh near the Hari Rud (river). It is the minaret of Jam. The local shepherds knew about the minarets but it was not popularly known until fairly recently but since it's discovery it has become an important symbol of freedom. The minaret with the two helicopters is a symbol of the Soviet war of aggression.

A number of years ago I wrote an article for Oriental Rug Review called Afghan War Rugs: If it Walks Like a Duck.... In it I broke a lot of new ground trying to attribute the various types of war rugs to where they were made. When I was writing that article there was a real question in my mind whether the Baluch weavers ever actually wove war rugs in any great numbers. Now a few years later I have come to the conclusion that during the war of Russian Aggression most of the "Baluchi" war rugs were not Baluch but that approximately 10 to 20% of them actually were.

Baluch War Rug , Northwest Afghanistan.

Size: 3 foot by 4 foot 11 inches.

Structure: Asymmetrical knot open to the left 8 knots per horizontal inch and 7 knots per vertical inch. 56 per square inch

Yarn Spin: Z.

Warp: 2 ply tan wool.

Weft: 2 shots blue cotton.

Pile: 2 wool singles.

Ends: 1/2 inch plain weave.

Selvages: 2 cord double looped brown goat.

Handle: Soft, light, durable, pliable.

Further Notes: Excellent Condition.

The German Collection:

Late last year a friend contacted me and asked if I would be interested in any of the rugs from a large collection in Germany. After seeing pictures I made an offer for the entire collection and it was finally accepted. Why it took over 6 months to ship these rugs from Germany is beyond my comprehension. Finally I got a call that Customs had released these rugs and I finally have them to offer to you.

Direct Scan

For information on War Rugs please see:

Afghan War Rug Question - RugNotes

Afghan War Rugs: If it Walks Like a Duck... by J. Barry O'Connell, Jr. (Oriental Rug Review, March, 1997)

Afghan War Rugs: A Sub-group With Iranian Influence An Exhibition of a Variant Type by Ron O'Callaghan, with thanks to J. Barry O'Connell, Jr. Oriental Rug Review

For a discussion of Afghan Baluch and Baluch type see:

Parsons, R. D. Oriental Rugs Volume 3 The Carpets of Afghanistan. Woodbridge: Antique Collectors Club, 1983, 3rd ed. 1994.

Thanks and best wishes,

J. Barry O'Connell Jr.