The art of Zellige flourished at the Hispano-Moresque period (Azulejo). It then appeared in Morocco in the 10th century using nuances of white and brown colours.
The art remained very limited in use until the Merinid dynasty who gave it more importance around the 14th century. Blue, red, green and yellow colours were introduced in the 17th century. The old enamels with the natural colours were used until the beginning of the 20th century and the colors had probably not evolved much since the period of Merinids. The cities of Fes and Meknes remain the centers of this art.
Zillij mosaic tile also known as Zellidj, Zillij, Zellij, zellige is an important element Moorish and Moroccan architecture and decorating. The word tile is derived from the French word tuile, which is, in turn, derived from the Latin word tegula, meaning a roof tile composed of baked clay. The process of production begins by mixing clay and water and kneeling them by hands and feet until they reach a high level of flexibility and homogeneity. Then, the mixture is cut into squares of 1 cm thickness each. The squares get dried up under the sun before they are put in a special oven for their first phase baking. The tiles are placed in different levels according to the degree of temperature required to attain a particular color. The white tile is often placed in the bottom followed by the blue, yellow, and the green on the top. The second phase starts when we remove the tiles from the oven and separate them by their colors; once we are done with this process, we start drawing the patterns of the intended design directly on tiles; this is done by 'rasham' followed by the cutting process which is performed by 'naqqash' who carefully separate the drawn pattern by a sharpened hammer. Last but not least, 'khallas' or finisher finishes the work by cutting the tiles' edges assuring that they meet all requirements for production. With the help of our design team, the zillij master draws the design layout on the ground and places each furmah or piece of tile in its exact place in the overall pattern. Interestingly enough, the placement of tiles is done upside down, which makes it even more difficult to absorb.
Zillij usually used to cover walls, floors and columns of kitchens, bathrooms, fireplace, patio, courtyard, fountain,living and dining rooms and many other spaces. These spaces do not only include residences, but also restaurants, hotels, resorts, spas, swimming pool, theatres, golf country clubs, and many other commercial projects. Zillij tiles takes different motifs (geometric, floral and chiseled) in a organic and traditionaly glazed colors. Each motif and color remains a symbol and has a special significance in the iconography of the Islamic/Moorish art. Zillij mosaic tiles goes well with either traditional mediteranean style or even modern contemporary style depending on the combination of colors and pattern that can be made in endless possibilities.
Apart from the floors and walls, zillij can be used to produce beautiful tables and fountains with a wide variety of motifs and colors. The fountains can either be central or part of a wall. It is usually placed on the wall opposite the main entrance, immediately facing the visitor, as the focus of the zillij decoration. The fountain is a very important element of the Moorish house because water is an epitome of life in the ancient Moorish culture for so many centuries in Al Hambra, Spain. In hot weather, the water from courtyard pools and fountains cools down the surroundings and the running water works as relaxing and appealing visual elements. Water does not only reflect architecture and multiply decorative themes, but it can also serve as a means of emphasizing the visual axes.
Benefits of Zillij (Tiles)
Creative benefits
* Feature historic, cultural, artistic, and architectural themes.
* Create unique atmosphere by combining various designs, colors, shapes, and textures.
Economic and Technical benefits
* Structurally, tile is one of the strongest mechanical finishes, interior and exterior.
* It is fire-resistant and it does not burn at any temperature or produce toxic fumes.
* Its colors are permanent, unaffected by UV rays or fading from sun exposure.
* It is non-conductive and it will not produce an electric shock. It is ideal in sensitive computer installations in corporate settings or home offices.
* It offers high insulation values; it acts as natural cooling element in the summer and retains ambient heat in cold weather.
* Organic and natural color pigments
* Zillij tiles are green and enviremental friendly
Environmental & Health benefits
* Slip resistance for improved safety on interior and exterior surfaces.
* It is made from a 100% plentiful and natural raw material that, when removed from a site, is not harmful to the landfills.
* It reduces allergies and improves indoor air quality
Saint Tropez Boutique one of the largest manufacturer of fine zillij mosaic tiles and Moroccan tiles in Morocco, just lunched a new line of zillij tiles that is pre-assembled and front mounted zillij mosaic tiles into 12" x 12" sheets or 12" x 6" zillij borders using adhesive glue that holds the mosaic tiles well and allow anyone to intall the zillij tiles without the need to any special experience r skills. The Pre-assembled zillij tiles by Saint Tropez Boutique are DIY and are very easy to install same way if you are installting marble or glass mosaics by using ceramic tiles thin-set and grout.
eventhough the zillij tiles comes pre-assembled, they are still handmade, hand-cut, hand-mounted.The art of mosaic in Morocco, called "Zillij," dates back many centuries. Handmade, hand-glazed and hand-cut terra cotta tile and mosaics are crafted using traditional and regional clays and glaze pigments. Zillij tile is timeless and works beautifully in traditional and contemporary interiors.
For more information on Zillij tiles and Moroccan mosaic tiles feel free to contact:
Moroccan tile by Saint Tropez Boutique
25 Evelyn way
San Francisco, California 94127
Phone: (415) 513-5920
Email: sales@sainttropezstone.com
Web: http://www.sainttropezstone.com
http://www.sainttropezboutique.us
http://www.sainttropezboutique.net
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Moroccan tiles are The art of mosaic tiles dates back many centuries in the old city of fez in Morocco. Handmade, hand-glazed and hand-cut Moroccan mosaics are crafted using traditional and regional organic clays and glaze pigments. Moroccan tiles are historic tiles dated many centuries ago from the famous Al Hambra palaces and Granada in Spain to the luxurious homes in Fez Morocco.Moroccan tiles are rich of complex geometric patterns that refflect the beauty of the ancien art of geometry.Geometric patterns are among the most recogbizable visual expressions of Moroccan art and architecture.In the past, Moroccan craftsmen had an extensive practical knowledge of geometry. They know how to divide circle into twelve equal sectors without measuring the angles with a protractor. They could construct a large geometric pattern on the dome of a palace and ensure that the basic motifs linked to gether perfectly all the way around . Their skill was not based on theory or mathematical calculation; they created the patterns by drawing circles and lines. In the ancient world in Morocco, architects would use a piece of rope to draw up full scale floor plans of a building. One end of the rope was tied to a fixed point; the other was attached to a piece of wood. by walking round the fixed point with the ropetaut, the architect could mark out a perfect circle, the size of which was naturally determined by the length of the rope. Straight lines could also be drawn , again by holdingthe ropetaut between two points. A compass and ruler are sophisticated versions of the rope; nothing more was needed then, and the same principle applies to the geometric pattern of Moroccan mosaic tiles ( zillij tiles).
Moroccan tiles are suitable for indoor and outdoor uses such as kitchen backsplash, kitchen floors, Bathroom floors, Bathroom shower, swimming pool, fountain, fireplace, walls, wall clading. Moroccan tiles are very durable and require minimum maintenance and the solid prove that these tiles are durable is the palaces in Al Hambra, Granada in Spain and Morocco they have these tiles all over the walls & floors and even after so many centuries they look almost new.
By being the largest and the exclusive manufacturer of high-end Moroccan tiles in Morocco, Saint Tropez Boutique dedicated to preserve the art of handmade Moroccan tiles and Moroccan arts and crafts by investing money and time to operate several Moroccan tiles workshops in Morocco and making sure that each Moroccan tile is handcrafted from quality organic clay and traditional made using basic tools same used by the Moors for so many centuries ago. After several years of intense reserches, Saint Tropez Boutique came up with brilliant technique to have the famous Moroccan mosaic tiles pre-mounted or pre-assembled into sheets for easy installation. Saint Tropez Boutique is now able to produce pre-mounted Moroccan tiles into 12" x 12" sheets so anyone can install them without any assitance or special technique, all you have to do is add mortar to the back of the Moroccan tiles and install them same if you are installing Marble mosaics or Glass mosaic.
Moroccan mosaic tiles are timeless and works beautifully in traditional and contemporary interiors.
for more information on handmade Moroccan mosaic tiles, Moroccan clay tiles, Moroccan ceramic tiles, zillij tiles, Moroccan terracotta tiles, Moorish tiles, Moorosh mosaic tiles, zellige tiles, bejmat tiles please contact:
Moroccan tiles & Moorish mosaic tiles By Saint Tropez Boutique:
25 Evelyn way
San Francisco, California 94127
USA
Phone: (415) 513-5920
Email: sales@sainttropezstone.com
Website: http://www.sainttropezstone.com
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