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Introduction to Moroccan tiles
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Are you looking for a unique tile that will give your interior a special look? Then discover the versatile Moroccan tiles. These tiles are distinguished by their unique shapes, vibrant colours and wide applicability in every room. There are different types of Moroccan tiles to choose from. For example, there is the Zellige, a wall tile that is recognisable by its subtly cut corners.
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The Bejmat, a tile with the appearance of a brick that is often used on the floors of Moroccan Riads. In addition, there is the Platta, a floor tile that is available in various shapes. Let your creativity run wild and create your own color combinations. Whether you choose light shades, dark colors, an exuberant color explosion or a natural look - with Moroccan tiles you give your home exactly the atmosphere you want.
History of Moroccan tiles
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Moroccan tiles, often referred to as zelliges, have a rich history dating back to the 10th century. One of the most iconic art forms of the Islamic world, these tiles are an important cultural symbol of Morocco. The art of glazed tiles was introduced to North Africa during the Arab conquests of the 7th and 8th centuries, and flourished under the influence of Andalusian craftsmen. The Zellige technique developed particularly during the Almoravid and Almohad rule in the 11th century, with Fez as a centre of production thanks to the local clay and craftsmanship.
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Zelliges are made from carefully shaped and fired clay, usually from the Fez region. The tiles were originally glazed in natural tones, but from the 14th century onwards more vibrant colours such as blue, green and yellow became popular. The geometric patterns reflect Islamic traditions and are often based on complex mathematical principles. From Morocco, the art of zellige spread to Andalusia, with the Alhambra in Granada being a famous example. Today, Moroccan tiles are loved worldwide and are used in both traditional and modern designs, making them a timeless example of the interplay between tradition and innovation.
Production of Moroccan tiles
Moroccan tiles, also known as Zellige, Bejmat and Platta. Who doesn't know them? These tiles are still handmade in Morocco, as they have been for centuries. This Moroccan art form can be found in the streets and buildings of Morocco where the walls are often covered from top to bottom with these geometric patterns in the most beautiful colours. Each shape is cut by hand from a 10x10 format. For the European market, this square shape is the most popular. The Bejmat is the "brick", a tile that can be used on the floor. Think of the beautiful deep green tiles that cover the courtyards in Morocco. The Platta tile is exclusive to Designtegels.nl. A mix of the different shapes of Zellige with the option that they could be used on the floor, like the Bejmat. The Platta has the same beautiful colours as the Bejmat and Zellige.
1. In Fez, Morocco, Moroccan tiles are made. This city is known for its perfect clay! The clay is collected, mixed with water and mixed well.
2. The clay is pressed into molds so that they take the right shape and are dried in the sun. Depending on the season this can take up to 2 weeks.
3. The clay tablets are collected and cut to size and smoothed out. Are the tiles the right size? Then they go back into the sun to dry even further.
4. When the tiles are dry, they are glazed in the right colour. Each tile is manually dipped in the glaze. The glaze always looks "muddy" and only gets its colour at high temperatures.
5. Then the tiles are stacked in an olive pit oven. This oven is round and high, the closer to the fire the darker the glaze becomes. This creates the special colour nuances.
6. Zelliges are then cut into the right shape, for example the Poisson Echelles. This is done by hand, tile by tile.
Origin and quality
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The Moroccan tiles
Our Platta, Zelliges and Bejmat tiles come from Fez, Morocco. This type of tile is not produced anywhere else in the world and is a typical Moroccan product. Platta, Zelliges (pronounced: zelliezjes) and Bejmat tiles (pronounced: bezjmat) are made from a clay that is almost exclusively found in caves in the city of Fez. Large slabs are rolled from this clay from which the shapes of the tiles are cut. These are dried in the sun and later baked, with glaze, in an olive pit oven. The centuries-old production process is done entirely by hand. Only simple tools are needed to create a final product. After baking, the tiles are
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hand cut into any desired shape. By manually cutting the tiles, an unmistakable appearance is created that immediately gives these tiles their charm. As one of the few types of tiles, Zelliges are placed without a joint and only the remaining openings are provided with a joint. Moroccan wall tiles are popular in Islamic countries where they are used in graphic mosaics. In recent years, we have seen them a lot in Western European countries. Zelliges and Bejmat tiles are popular because of their irregular, lively appearance, beautiful colour nuances and therefore their handmade character.
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Factories
Zelliges are often processed and sold by various factories, but only a few actually make these tiles from clay. Designtegels.nl BV works together with one of the largest manufacturers in Fez, Morocco, and has good experiences with this. We travel to Morocco regularly and know most manufacturers personally. The biggest challenge is colour control; additional orders can show colour differences, which is why we always advise customers to order enough tiles and to take breakage and variations into account. Child labour is not used in these factories, although teenagers sometimes perform light tasks. The work is often monotonous and requires a lot of precision, with small figures being precisely carved with a hammer and anvil. The atmosphere on the work floor is good, with regular breaks for mint tea and fresh fruit such as dates and figs. The employees are proud of their craft and enjoy showing their work, creating intricate shapes from square tiles at a rapid pace. These craftsmen are respected and carry out their specialised work with dedication.
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Raw materials
Zelliges and Bejmat tiles consist of clay, water and
glaze. The clay comes from caves and is further processed in the factories. The factories often consist of a large outdoor area where the clay can dry well with an olive pit oven and a small storage for the dried tiles. After drying the clay tablets are glazed and then put in an olive pit oven. The tiles are stacked entirely by hand in the oven, which is fired with wood and olive pits. This gives the tiles at the bottom of the oven a slightly different colour than at the top of the oven. After baking the tiles are mixed and packed in jute bags, ready for
further processing. The clay is very recognizable by the lime pits. These lime pits can also be just below the surface of the glaze layer, which can cause the glaze to crack. It is precisely these types of irregularities and cracks that make Zelliges so recognizable and should be considered normal. The production process of Zelliges, Bejmat and Platta tiles is sustainable and does not use materials that are harmful to the environment, humans or animals.