Abigail Turano ’24
Art as a Form of Therapy: Afghan Women and their “War Rugs” Highlight the Trauma and Violence of the Soviet-Afghan War
Abigail Turano ’24, History major
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Margaret Manchester, History and Classics
Poster Presentation: Wednesday, April 24, 1:30 – 3 p.m.
My research explores the traumatic experiences of Afghan women during the Soviet-Afghan War between 1979 and 1989. From the outset of this conflict, women weavers in Pakistani refugee camps started to incorporate symbols from the war—such as tanks, airplanes, and weapons—into their woven carpets, which became known as war rugs. Woven rugs have been a traditional element of Afghan culture since nomadic women began carpet weaving thousands of years ago. In the construction of war rugs, Afghan women used carpet weaving as a therapeutic outlet to share their stories and cope with their trauma. War rugs demonstrate that armed conflict is a gendered phenomenon, as Afghan women experienced this war differently than Afghan men.
