We believe that every country has its own charm its own magic, and this is the story of one of it.
In the mountains near the city of Fez a dozen of men has dedicated their lives for the sake of Artisanat (Art of Crafting). Men who took on decades of knowledge and skills upon their shoulders to deliver the best artisanal products.
Our story begins precisely in the area called Ben Jellik. Mountains of raw clay used in Zellige. After the clay is drown out from the heart of the mountain and took to the oven to give it the shape, the clay tiles are paint with colored glass in one of the two sides, then they are calibred and cut. The cutting is done in three phases: First is a form need to be drawn, whether we want triangles or squares or stars, then comes “Nequach” the person responsible of cutting it by hand using a sharp big hammer to give a perfect form to the clay, and finally they use a small hummer to sharp the edges. After this process is done, each tile is a unique piece of art having its own nuance's. The zellige artisanat has known a huge development through the years. At the very first of the discovery of this material, it was directed to the princes and their castles. That’s why if you visit Morocco and you visit its monuments you will notice the zellige artisanat. Especially in the bathrooms or what we call “Hemmam beldi”. Then it has become a cultural acclamation. Unfortunately, with the globalization effects and how people has turn their back on their cultures, the zellige manufacturing has left to dust. Here where the creation of our shop has known the day. We are a group of artisans with the same vision, to make the zellige industry famous again, with a variety of handmade and artisanal products. Our goal in joining Etsy is because we noticed how its community is very interested in artisanat, and we want to share the magical artisanal of our country to the whole globe. All the product you will see in our shop are made in collaboration with villagers who have their own visions and their ideas that are taken into consideration since each one is an expert in different fields and knowledge in the Zellige production.
The process includes the link between the villagers and the nature surrounding them, that’s why we are very strict when it comes to protecting our environment because it protects us by providing us the raw material for our production and our living.
By buying from us you’ll be supporting the local people preserve ancestral production methods, since the mass production has become a common currency.
We let you browse down the shop and feel welcome to join our journey on Etsy for many adventures are ahead, and don’t forget if you have any question, we will always be here for you.
Stay always tuned for the surprises ahead.
AtlasTiles Team.