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A Pashtun window, colorful and flamboyant, similar to their textiles and clothing.

Afghanistan is at a high elevation, has slow growth woods, and has suffered from many years of drought and deforestation.  All of these factors have made wood a cherished commodity.  Carpenters and carvers have historically embellished wood with ornamental decorations and continue to do so today.

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A Ghazni window- simple, with medieval appeal.

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Slide-top box used for herbs, money, jewelry.  The inside is usually divided into compartments.

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Large spoons and ladles measure a serving at a banquet or festival.

Chests and leather bound chairs.

Afghan Tribal Arts carries three main distinct styles of wood products: the dark, natural carvings of Nuristan, Land of the Light, the floral and colorful decorated pieces of the Pashtun, and the red and black turned work of Swat Valley.  All have their own charm.

Nuristan

Nuristan means the land of light.  High up in the wooded mountains, the color palette is natural with ornate carvings.

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Swat Valley

Red, yellow and black against the natural wood are the Swat Valley's trademark.  They excel in turned wood designs, accessorizing objects with discs, ornate knobs, and frames.  The Swat Valley wood work also has a vibrant tradition of lacquer finish.  Extremely time-consuming, this process involves layering different colors of lacquered pigments on a surface and then etching back into it to reveal the colors underneath.  They also make use of stamping for added texture and design.  In the Swat Valley, lacquer preferences also traditionally use the yellow, red, and black colors.  The cups and containers below are excellent examples of this technique.

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Pashtun

In contrast to the Nuristani woodwork, the Pashtun tend to decorate their objects with wild colors, designs and even add mirrors, embedded into the wood.  Perhaps there is a correlation between the abundance of color in Nature experienced in Nuristan, while in the more arid areas inhabited by the Pashtun, Nature has to be complimented by a burst of color in the home and in attire.  Pashtun color choices burst with joy and abundance.

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Window

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Textile Stamps

Stamps like these are used to print fabric with inks or wax in the batik process.  Artists in the US enjoy using them for paper and clay, as well as their traditional uses.  These are old and have been discarded by the cottage industries in favor of newer ones.  Most are still functional with small chips that can be repaired with wood filler.  Interior designers and collectors enjoy them as art pieces.  They can be mounted in shadow boxes, used as accents, hung freely on the wall. 

Quantities are available.