Fine Pictorial Afghan rug wool and silk pile

This is a an interesting handmade rug and is undoubtedly a talking-point piece which you can lay on your floor or display on a wall; perhaps it is a rug for a collector or rug enthusiast or maybe someone with a deep rooted interest in Afghanistan. 

This intriguing fine pictorial Afghan rug with wool and silk pile was meticulously handwoven and is inscribed "made by Meyza Hosain" in English script. This finely woven pictorial rug features a central picture, which is bordered by 14 smaller pictures. Each image is framed by a border. The images shown in the pictures are significant to Afghanistan. In a way it is like a postcard, but in rug-form. 

Learn some more about this fascinating fine Pictorial Afghan rug 

In the central image of the rug, also in English script are the words "Taq Zafar". This is of great cultural significance to Afghan people. In Dari/Persian "Taq" means arch, and "Zafar" means victory. The central image of this small fine rug is therefore depicting "Taq-e Zafar" or the Arch of Victory in Paghman. 

Taq-e Zafar is of great importance to Afghanistan because it commemorates Afghanistan's independence following the Third Anglo-Afghan War of 1919. We can see this date shown also in this part of the rug. It thus represents a significant time in Afghanistan's history.

The Arch of Victory was completed in 1928 during the reign of King Amanullah Khan. It is situated at the entrance to the gardens of Paghman, near to Kabul. In terms of design, the monument is rather European in style, sometimes drawing comparisons as a smaller version of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. 

As a symbol to this day, Taq-e Zafar is much more important that just an old building, it is symbolic of Afghanistan's independence and the sacrifices made by the Afghan people. 

Find out about the other famous Afghan depictions in this Wool & Silk small Rug

This Afghan Pictorial rug depicts other famous places from across Afghanistan, starting from the top left corner and working down the column the images depict: 

• Minaret of Jam, which is a 12th Century brick minaret. It stands dramatically in a remote mountain valley near the confluence of the Hari River and the Jam River in Ghor Province, central-west Afghanistan. The surrounding mountains shown in the rug are characteristic of its isolated setting.
• Bamiyan; this was the site of the famous giant cliff-faced Buddha statues which were destroyed by the Taliban in 2001.
• Band-e Amir; the famous chain of six intensely blue lakes in Bamiyan province. The image shows the broad blue water, rugged layered mountains, and small green shoreline are consistent with a stylised depiction of the lakes.
• Taq-e Zafar; refer to above information.
• Maimana; capital of Faryab province, Northern Afghanistan. The rug maybe depicts the shrine of Saif al-Muluk - this monument no longer exists, having been demolished in the Twentieth Century. 

What this Taq Zafar rug is made from

This high quality small rug is made from wool and silk. The intricately hand-knotted pile is made from wool and silk. The tan-brown colour of the land is shown in silk and the white of the mountain sides are also silk. The rest of the design is fine hand-knotted wool in blue, green and orange. 

For the warp threads, silk has been used. The warps are also the fringes of the rug, and each strand of silk fringe runs through the rug and exits at the other end. These long silk threads were the first yarns to be added onto the loom before the weaving began. For making a high knot count rug, silk is a perfect material for warp threads. Not only is it thin which allows for extra tiny detailed knotting, it also has excellent tensile strength. 

In this small part silk rug, in between each row of knots are woollen weft threads which are closely sandwiched between the lines of knots. These wefts are woven in between the warps and are compacted closely against the knots. 

Key details:

• Country of origin: Afghanistan
• Size: 86×93cm / 2’10x3’1 (this measurement includes the kilim end finishes).
• Thickness: 5mm
• Pile: Silk and Wool, hand-knotted
• Warp: Silk
• Age: Noughties. Unused