Chapter II — The Language of Knots
02
The Rug Outlives the Invasion
Documented war rugs by primary motif — Turkmen and Baluch weavers, 1979–2024
7,418
Rugs Catalogued
42 countries · 186 collections
PRIMARY MOTIF CATEGORY
Tanks & Vehicles
34%
Helicopters & Aircraft
22%
Small Arms
18%
Grenades & Mines
11%
Maps & Text
9%
Traditional Motifs
6%
78% of all documented war rugs depict military hardware as their primary motif.