Kashmiri craftswomen weave silk carpets at a factory in Srinagar on May 6, 2026. Photo by AFP
Masterpieces woven from mulberry silk or pure sheep wool by artisans have adorned imperial courts, museums and luxury homes across the world over the centuries.
The hand-spun yarn dyed in natural colors is woven on handlooms, packing in between 300 and several thousand knots per square inch, depending on the intricacy of the design.
Until the 1980s, carpets were Kashmir's top export, but volumes have since steadily declined, with wars in Ukraine and the Middle East the latest blows to the trade.
"It hurts me to see this," weaver Bashir Ahmad, 78, told AFP.
