Ceramics · Fes, Safi

Hand-Painted Ceramic Tile

Individual decorative tiles painted with traditional Moroccan geometric or floral motifs. Used as coasters, trivets, wall art, or souvenirs.

History & Cultural Context

Individual painted tiles are distinct from zellige mosaic tiles. These are single square or octagonal tiles with a complete painted design on each piece, in the Safi or Fassi painting traditions. They became popular souvenirs and are also used in architectural renovation.

Materials

Ceramic clayPressed or cut into tile shapes
Mineral glazesCobalt blue, copper green, iron yellow, manganese brown

Production Techniques

Hand-paintingTraditional
Freehand or guided geometric/floral motifs painted with fine brushes

Production Notes

Clay pressed or cut into square/octagonal shapes, bisque-fired, hand-painted with mineral glazes, then glaze-fired. Available individually or in patterned sets.

Quality Indicators

Authenticity

Visible brush texture under glaze

Quality

Crisp pattern edges with clean color separation

Price Ranges

Budget10 – 30 MAD(~$1 – $3)

Simple designs, small tiles (10x10cm)

Mid-range30 – 80 MAD(~$3 – $8)

Detailed painting, standard size (15x15cm)

Premium80 – 200 MAD(~$8 – $20)

Complex multi-color designs, sets of matching tiles