Shopping is something that intrigues everyone and something that is loved by almost everyone. Barring a few scarce people, everyone loves shopping and is always on the lookout for good places to shop at. This merriment of shopping scales up to new levels when you are visiting a new city or even a country like Afghanistan. In the case of Afghanistan, a country having immense historical and cultural importance, you can hardly keep yourself off the markets and places for shopping in Afghanistan that offers a variety of products!.
Shopping is extremely fun and rewarding, especially for collectors of ethnic weaves as the country is most famous for its locally made carpets and rugs and designs and patterns are often copied around the globe. Carpet weaving is one of the longest standing traditions in Afghanistan, mostly done by Baluchi and Turkoman tribes in the south, west, and north. Bring your haggling skills as not only is bartering a tolerated practice, it is very much a part of the Afghan shopping culture.
In the capital, you will find two famous shopping districts in Afghanistan. Chicken Street and Flower Street are the go-to spots for locally made crafts, handicrafts, animal hair, jewelry, Buddha heads, and the ever-famous local carpets. Other popular souvenirs include Kandahar embroidery, Turkman hats, Nuristani woodcarving, silk, Istaff pottery, brass, copper, and quality glassware from Herat. Do take note though that some of the handicrafts cannot be exported without a proper license.
Metalworks (vases, platters, elaborately decorated pots, and even knives) are also popular in the country. Many historians and collectors seek out authentic Afghan guns, though these make for rather problematic souvenirs, as importing firearms is extremely tough anywhere in the world. The country’s jezail and pass-made rifles are of particular interest for enthusiasts.
Baluchi Rugs
Baluchi rugs are small carpets, often four by seven feet in length and width. They are traditionally small because large looms were not practical for the nomadic population that originally used them. Foreigners love them because they can easily be carried anywhere. A prayer rug is a common example of a Baluchi rug along with the ‘nomad’s chest of drawers’, which is a type of wonderfully decorated saddlebag to hang on tent walls when travelling outward bound.
Turkoman Rugs
Turkoman rugs come in a wide range of size. They can be compared to top of the line Persian carpets, particularly when finely woven. Hatchli is a popular design, consisting of a simple cross shape on a vast surface. If you want to save money, buy from local souqs and bazaars instead of commercial malls. Depending on how good your bargaining is, you can sometimes get over forty percent off.
"I enjoy shopping and I found it affordable but some of the clothes are definitely not of the highest quality." - Hassan from Turkey
