Ceramic Making in Fes
A Tradition of Pottery and Ceramic Making
Fes is one of the most important city in Morocco when it comes to ceramic making in the country. Morocco’s pottery and ceramics are one of the real treasures of the souks with diverse traditional and modern colors and designs to craete useful item such as a plate, tile, tagine or vase.
Most of the work is hand made and very unique in nature. The clay to make the pottery comes from the hills around Fes. Then water is added to clay to make it softer. After leaving the mix for few hours, workers work on the clay to achieve the required texture. A potter takes the clay and uses it’s wheel to make various items.
The Process
Finished vessels are lined up to dry out before it’s time to put them in a kiln. Once inside the kiln, heat turns soft clay into a hard. This is where one of the most important part of work comes. Artists draw arabesque designs, such as this geometric motif, are a popular architectural detail in North African buildings. After finishing the drawings, once more products are placed inside an oven to glaze them. Large decorative items and fountains are often created by cutting pieces of ceramic into the right size for decorative purposes.
