what are Afghanistan’s War Rugs

Stylized for international audiences, post-9/11 rugs sometimes feature English inscriptions and American and British military iconography.

A pair of Afghan war rugs hangs side by side on a museum wall, both depicting maps, military aircraft, flags and labeled inscriptions referencing the U.S., U.K., and regional neighbors involved in the post-9/11 conflict.

“War rugs: Afghanistan’s knotted history” is on display at the British Museum through September 14, 2025. 

what are Afghanistan’s War Rugs