Sunday
Conflicted images The woven rugs of Afghanistan are more than mere decorations (although, decoration is never really mere). The patterns of flowers, birds, and vines have particular meaning and identifiers. But with the nation stricken with nearly continuous warfare for more than three decades, the images used by the weavers are just as likely to be tanks, planes, or grenades. The exhibition Battleground: War Rugs From Afghanistan comprises more than 60 examples, most woven in refugee camps since 1980. The camps' mixing of ethnic groups has resulted in a fusion of styles that has erased clues to the origins of the weavers and made them both more individual and more mysterious. The exhibition is at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, 3260 South St. Admission is $10; $7 for seniors; $6 for ages 6 to 17 and students. Call 215-898-4000.