A BALUCH BIBLIOGRAPHY

Compiled by George W. O'Bannon

For the collector who becomes infatuated with Baluch weavings, one of the greatest frustrations is trying to learn about them. They are mentioned only cursorily in most general rug books. Books on Baluch rugs specifically began to appear in the 1970s, but in reading these the terms used vary markedly from one author to another. To date we do not have a book, such as Eagleton's on Kurdish rugs, by someone who has spent extensive amounts of time in both the Iranian and Afghan areas where Baluch rugs are woven. The nearest are the writings of D.H.G. Wegner, but they are scattered in a variety of places.

Mushwani rug, private collection
One would think that Baluch rugs should not be that much of a mystery. The array of publications on the ethnography and languages of the Baluch from the 19th century are numerous, and it would seem that they should be helpful in identifying rugs; but that is not the case. The collectors of this data appear not to have been interested in rugs or the material culture of the Baluch. And one must remember that much of this literature concerns itself with the true Baluch of Baluchistan and not those who weave the pile rugs.

The following bibliography focuses on those books and articles which have pictures, technical data, and/or commentary on the rugs. A few of the ethnographic sources are included for those who may be interested in as much in the who and where, as the what. The Azadi book contains one of the most extensive bibliographies of the works cited here.

Adamec, L. W., Historical Gazetteer of Iran and Historical Gazetteer of Afghanistan, Academische Druck, Graz. 1981.

Aschenbrenner, E., Oriental Rugs Volume 2 Persian, Antique Collectors Club, 1981.
Seven rugs from the Iranian areas in color with descriptive terms.

Azadi, S., Carpets in the Baluch Tradition, Klinkhardt & Biermann, Munich, 1986.
Sixty-four rugs in not so great color but with full technical analysis and major text. This is the best broad sampling of the range of Baluch pile weaving.
-"Baluch Rugs," Encyclopaedia Iranic, Vol. 3, Fasc.6.
This is a basic reference not only on Baluch rugs but Oriental rugs in general. The Encyclopaedia Iranica will be publishing many articles about Oriental rugs, and like other encyclopedias on the Islamic world, is a major reference source.
-"Einige Teppiche in Belutschtradition," Weltkunst 48/8, 1978. -Persian Carpets I: Inauguration of the Carpet Museum in Teheran/Iran, Hamburg and Tehran, 1977.

Barberis, Roberto, Geknupfte und Gewebte Arbeiten der Belutsch-nomaden, Jun, Wein, 1982.

Bausback, Peter, Alte Knupfarbeitan der Belutschen, November, Mannheim, 1980. Fifty well selected example of rugs in better than average color and technical analyses.
-Kelim Antike Orientalische Flachgewebe, Mannheim, 1983.
Eight very interesting flatwoven pieces in good color. Not common in the literature.

Bellew, H. W, An Inquiry into the Ethnography of Afghanistan, Akademische Druck, Graz, 1973.

Bennett, I., Rugs and Carpets of the World, A & W Publishers, New York, 1977.
-"The Baluch Boom," Oriental Rug Review I/3, May, 1981, pp 1-3.
-"On Collecting Baluch Rugs - Mainly for Pleasure," Hali, III/I, pp.31-37.
-"Three Baluch Rugs," Hali, 1/1, pp.399-400.

Bernardout, R., Catalogue of Turkoman Weaving, London, 1974.
Fourteen black-and-white examples, several of which are quite uncommon.

Black, D. and Loveless, C., Rugs of the Wandering Baluchi, David Black Oriental Carpets, London, 1976.
The best color printing of 44 Baluch rugs that has appeared to date. The text is misleading in that one could conclude that the rugs were woven by the ethnic Baluchs of Baluchistan proper who are the focus of most of the sociological writing.

Boucher, J:, "Baluch Weavings of the 19th Century," Hali 1/3, 1978, pp. 284-287.

Clark, Hartley, Bokhara, Turkoman and Afghan Rugs, London, 1922.
Only two examples, one in color and one in black-and-white, and not even called Baluch but southwest Afghanistan. He was familiar with Bogolubov, too.

Craycraft, M., Belouch Prayer Rugs, Adrasksand Gallery, Point Reyes Station, California, 1982.
Forty rugs in excellent color with interesting and speculative attributions to geographic areas and tribal units. Full technical analyses.

Dames, ML., The Beloche Race, London, 1904.

Dhall, D.P., "Rugs for the Afghanistan Baluch," Hali, V/4, pp. 481-487.

Dupree, L. Afghanistan, Princeton University Press, 1980.

Edwards, A.C., The Persian Carpet, Duckworth, London, 1975.
Other than the early ethnographic writings, this is probably the first major statement on Baluch rugs by an informed writer. As most of the rugs illustrated were contemporary to Edwards' time in Iran, they are good visual references for age and design development despite the absence of color.

Eiland, Murray, Oriental Rugs, A New Comprehensive Guide, New York Graphic Society, Boston, 1981.
The best statement on Baluch rugs in a general Oriental rug book which incorporates current tribal attributions and divisions by specific technical features. Ten well selected examples but only black and white. Technical analyses.

Enay, ME. and Azadi, EinhundertJahre Orientteppich-Literatur, Hanover, 1977.

Encyclopedia of Islam, E.J. Brill, Leiden, 1960.

Ferdinand; K., Preliminary Notes of Hazara Culture, Hist.-fil. medd. kong, danske vid. Selsk. Vol. 37, .No.5, Kopenhagen, 1959.
-"The Baluchistan Barrel-vaulted Tent and its Affmities," Folk, Vol. 1, 1959.
-"The Baluchistan Barrel-vaulted Tent. Additional Material from Iranian Baluchistan and Sistan," Folk, Vol. 2, 1960.
-"Ethnographical Notes on Charhar Aimaq, Hazara and Moghol," Acta Orientalia, Vol. XXVIII/1-2, , 1964.

Ferrier, J. P., Caravan Journeys and Wanderings in Persia, Afghanistan, Turkistan, and Beloochistan, John Murray, London, 1856.

Frye, R. W., "Remarks on Baluchi History," Central Asiatic Journal, 1961.

Geiger, W., Ethymologie des Baluci, in Abh. Koniglich Bayerischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, 1, KI. 19, Munich, 1899.

Harrison,S.S., In Afghanistan's Shadow: Baluch Nationalism and Soviet Temptations, Carnegie Endowment, New York, 1981.
Nothing on rugs here, but about the political condition of Baluchistan today. Some interesting maps on the distribution of ethnic Baluchs in Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan, and a largely unknown political conflict.

Homer, .J.P.J., Exclusively Belouch, Homer Oriental Rugs, Chelteham, United Kingdom
Forty-one rugs and trappings in better than average color with minimal analysis.

Housego, J., Tribal Rugs, Van Nostrand Reinhold Co., New York, 1978.
An early basic work on tribal rugs, with one color and ten black-and-white illustrations of Baluch rugs.

Ivanov, W., "Notes on the Ethnology of Khurassan," The Geographical Journal 67/1, 1926, p. 143.

Janata, A., "Die Bevolkerung von Ghor. Beitrag zur Ethnographie und Ethnogenese der Chahar Aimaq, Archiv fur Volkerkunde, Bd. XVII/XV111, 1962-63.
-"Die Firuzhuki-Jurte des Museums fur Volkekunde in Wien," Afghanistan Journal Graz.
-"Flatweaves of West Afghanistan," Oriental Rug Review, IV/8, pp. 314-319, translated from Heimtex 3, 1979
-"Notizen zur Bevolkerungskarte Afghanistans," Afghanistan Journal, Jg. 8, Ht. 3, 1981, pp 94-95 Graz.
A good color map showing the distribution of the various ethnic groups in Afghanistan.
-"The So-Called Herat Baluch Rugs and Their Weavers," Oriental Carpet and Textile Studies I, London,1985.
-"Volkerkundliche Forschungen in West-Afghanistan 1969," Bustan 2-3, 1970, pp.pp. 50-65.

Jones, H. McCoy and Boucher, J., Baluchi Rugs, December, International Hajji Baba Society, Washington, D.C., 1974.
This started the Baluch collecting interest, with 64 black-and-white examples and minimal structural analysis but some great rugs covering a broad spectrum, including flatweaves.
-Weavings of the Tribes in Afghanistan, Washington, D.C., 1972.
Contains one of the Wegner articles, "The Rugs and Nomads and Farmers in Afghanistan thirteen Baluch rugs in black and white.

Konieczny, M. G., Textiles of Baluchistan, British Museums Pubs., London 1979
Forty-eight examples of flatweaves which were woven by true Baluch weavers. A unique book in the field of Baluch weavings with which any collector should be familiar.

Latimer, C., Monograph on Carpet Making in the Punjab 1905-06, Note on Baluch Weavings, Lahore, 1906.

Lichtenberg, M., "A Differentiation of 'Baluch' Textiles," Oriental Rug Review, III/5, August, 1983, .p. 8.

Longworth-Dames, M, The Baluch Race, 1904.

Maitland P.J.; et. al., "Chahar Aimak, Firozkhois, Jamshedis, Taimanis, Taimuris," in Historical and Political Gazetteer of Afghanistan, Vol. 3, Herat, Graz, 1971.

Mandersloot, G., Firozkohi, Een Afghaans Reisjournaal, Museum voor Land-en Volkenkunde, Rotterdam,1971. Some excellent photographs by Josephine Powell, drawings, and information on a major ethnic group. Regrettably in Dutch, a language not many people know, except in the Netherlands, of course.

Masson, C., Narrative of Various Journeys in Baluchistan, Afghanistan, and the Panjab, Vols. I, II, III, and IV, Oxford University Press, 1974.

Meister, P. W. and Azadi, Persische Teppiche, Hamburg and Frankfurt am Main, 1971.

Milhofer, S.A., Die Teppiche Zentralasiens, 1968.
About 20 Baluch rugs, mostly from 1930-50, in black-and-white but, like Edwards, they are from a period not normally presented in print.

O'Bannon, George W, "Baluch Rugs," Yoruk, Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1978.
-"Baluch Rugs from Afghanistan, 1. Taimani Rugs," Hali, IV/4, pp. 352-356.
-"Baluch Rugs from Afghanistan, 2. Aksi Rugs," Hali, V/2, pp. 127-130.
-"The Nomenclature of Baluch Rugs," Oriental Rug Review, 111/5, August, 1983, pp.6-7.
-"Retrospective on Baluch Rugs," Auction report, Oriental Rug Review, III:/11, pp. 489-490.
-"Rugs of the Mushwani Tribe of Northern Afghanistan," Hali, VII/1, pp. 9-13.
-"Towards an Understanding of Nomadic Rugs," Hali, lI/l, pp. 40-42.
Pakistan-American Cultural Centre, ed., Folk Craft of Baluchistan and Sind, Karachi, 1968.

Parsons, R.D., Oriental Rugs Volume 3: The Carpets of Afghanistan, Antique Collectors Club, Suffolk, 1984.
This book contains a good representative sampling of mid-20th century Baluch weavings from Afghanistan. Pile rugs, kelims, and utilitarian pieces are included.

Pehrson, R.N., "The Social Organization of the Marri Baluch," Anthropology, No.43, Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research, Inc., New York, 1966.
A major sociological study of a Baluch tribe from Baluchistan (Pakistan). Nothing on rugs but basic to an understanding of Baluch nomadism and social organization.

Pottinger, H., Travels in Beloochistan and Sinde, London, 1816

Ramsey, P., "Flatweaves of Central Asia," Oriental Carpet and Textile, Studies I, London, 1985.

Sardar Khan Baluch, M., The Great Baluch, Quetta, 1965.

Saunders, P., Tribal Visions, Marin Cultural Center, California, 1981.
Ten interesting Baluch rugs from the turn of the century which show the range of designs, colors, and techniques found in Baluch rugs.

Schletzer, D., Alte und antike Teppiche der Belutsch und Ersari, Hamburg, 1974.

Schurmann, H.F., The Mongols of Afghanistan, An Ethnography of the Moghols and Related Peoples of Afghanistan, Mouton, s-Graven-hage, 1962.

Stanzer, W, "Balutsch- Teppiche Werden Salonfahig," Afghanistan Journal 9/4, 1982, p. 146.

Tate, G.P., The Frontiers of Baluchistan, Witherby & Co., London, 1909.

Thacher, A.B., Turkoman Rugs, 1940
It is interesting to note that one rug is called Timuri (after Bogolubov) and one Adraskand (after Clark) and three Baluch. Plate 53 labeled Turkoman is likely Baluch as well and in soumak technique.

Tsareva, Elena, Rugs & Carpets from Central Asia, New York, 1984.
Six rugs from the Russian Collections with full technical analyses.

Ware, .J, "Baluch Conference," Oriental Rug Review, III/4, July, 1983, pp.10-11.

Wegner, B. and D.H.G., "Stickereien in Afghanistan," Textilhandwerk in Afghanistan (Biblioteca Afghanica 3), Liestal, 1983, pp. 133-57.
-"Pile Rugs of the Balouch and their Neighbors," Tribus 29, 1980 (German) and Oriental Rug Review V/4-8, 1985 (English).
-"Weavings of the Tribes in Afghanistan," Baessler-Archiv, 1964 and in Jones/Boucher Weavings of the Tribes in Afghanistan, 1972.
-"Some Notes on the Rugs of Balouchi Nomads and Related Weavers," Hali, 1/3, 1978, pp. 287-293.

Wulff H.E., The Traditional Carpets of Persia, M.I.T. Press, Boston, 1966.

Zick-Nissen, J., Nomadenkunst aus Belutchistan, Berlin, 1968.

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