Rich Turquoise Vintage Restored Tile Design

Ancient History of Ceramic Tiles The earliest use of decorative tiles was found in Egypt, dating from about 4000 BC. Tiles were also made by the Assyrians and Babylonians. The Romans and Greeks also favored decorative tiles; you’ll find examples of beautiful tile work in mosaics, murals, and more. One of the earliest uses of tiles can be found in the Elamite Temple at Chogha Zanbil, which dates from the 13th century BC. Another beautiful example is the Ishtar Gate of Babylon, from about 575 BC. The Achaemenid Empire also decorated buildings with glazed tiles. Decorative tiles were also prized by the Sassanid Empire, where they were used made into geometric designs including flowers, plants, birds, and people. The Islamic Period During the Islamic period, decorative ceramic tiles became popular; they were often used as embellishments for both the outside and inside of buildings. You’ll find beautiful tile works in places such as Tunisia (9th century), Kashan Iran (11th century), and many mosques dating from the 12th century and on. Some beautiful examples of Islamic tiles include the Seyyed Mosque in Isfahan, from about 1122 AD, the Dome of Maraqeh (AD 1147), and the Jame Mosque of Gonabad (1212 AD). Some of the finest and most intricate tile work was done during the Timurid Empire of Persia. They used the moraq technique. This technique used single-color tiles that were cut into small shapes and put together by pouring plaster in between them, creating panels. Once these were dry and hardened, the panels were put together on the walls of buildings. Not only were these used on flat surfaces, but the panels were also used to cover the interior and exterior surfaces of domes.