Peculiar art: Afghanistan war rugs

The over 50 years of war in Afghanistan have led to an unexpected art phenomenon: war rugs.

By using a centuries-old technique, women incorporate AK-47 riffles, artilery tanks, war personalities and other combat-related item into their woven rugs.

The war rugs take approximately a year to be completed and are destined for foreign troops sale.

Although when and where this peculiar form of art came to be remains unknown, historians think it was born sometime after the invention of the AK-47 in 1947.

When Afghanistan was invaded by Russian troops in 1979, local weavers found that such war rugs were marketable to the foreign troops, the same happening in 2001, after the American invasion.

The fact remains that the war rugs have built their path to international markets and are sought by collectors from around the world.