Ritual & Secrets of Mint Tea

Mint Tea & the Art of Zellige

The art of Zellige (Arabic: زليج ‎, meaning “small polished stone”) was born in Morocco in the 10th century. 
Zellige is a mosaic whose tesserae are pieces of enamelled terracotta. 
And since then, Zellige tiles have adorned the most beautiful monuments in Morocco, the Maghreb, and around the world. They adorn the walls and fountains of palaces and mosques with highly ornate geometric patterns.

It is a natural or glazed and colored terracotta tile. Traditionally, it is made with clay from the Fez region (Morocco). This centuries-old art has its origins in ancient mosaics.
According to Moroccan artisanal tradition, each tessera is still cut by hand and then assembled on a bed of mortar to form a geometric assembly.

This decorative expression was born from the desire of artists to create spatial decorations avoiding living representations, in accordance with the precepts of Islam. 

Originally white and brown, Zellige was adorned with blue, green and yellow (from the 14th century) and then red (from the 17th century). Nowadays, the color palette has been considerably enriched to meet the demands of lovers of authentic ceramics. 

An excellent invitation to meditate in color around a Mint Tea ...

Invaluable know-how

This manufacturing process, which remains artisanal, gives an original and high-quality decoration. The entire process is carried out under the direction of the " Mâalem " (in Arabic: معلم ) - literally "the one who has know-how", is a Master Craftsman or a Master of Art.

Assisted by the kussar (Arabic كسار ) - the craftsman in charge of cutting the tiles into tesserae - the Mâalem develops the geometric patterns (squares, stars, crosses, diamonds, etc.) of the tesserae. He draws them, assembles them from memory, and glues them directly onto the surfaces to be decorated. He and his assistant craftsmen often work with hot mint tea in hand...

The first step in manufacturing is the molding of the clay ( Mazhari in Arabic مزهري ). This is followed by the calibration and drying of the formed tile, then its first firing. 

The tiles, about ten centimeters on each side, are then glazed and fired. The tiles of different colors are then cut into defined geometric shapes that allow them to fit together.

This artisanal cut made by the Kussar with his sharp hammer called Menqach (Arabic منقاش ) which reveals a fine border of exposed terracotta around the edges of the tesserae. 

Patrons of the Art of Zellige

Patrons of art used Zellige to decorate major monuments and their homes as a statement of architectural excellence and sophistication. 

The Moorish art of Zellige flourished during the Nasrid dynasty and especially the Marinid dynasty which gave it more importance around the 14th century. 

The Marinids were a dynasty of Zenata Berber origin, originating from the highlands around Figuig. The Marinid Sultanate (13th to 15th centuries) controlled present-day Morocco and, intermittently, other parts of the Maghreb—particularly Algeria and Tunisia—as well as southern Spain.

Under the Merinid Empire, architecture as well as intellectual production was abundant, covering medicine, biography, hagiography, philosophy and poetry, or even travel stories, with authors such as Ibn Baṭṭūṭa (in Arabic: ابن بطّوطة ). Historiography took off thanks to the writings of Ibn Khaldun (in Arabic: ابن (Arabic ).

The architecture, stucco, wooden decorations and the art of Zellige are considered to be at the artistic peak of this period.

Like the Merinid Medersa of Salé (in Arabic: المدرسة ) - Mouima 's hometown - which is a magnificent showcase of Marinid architecture and decorative arts, built in 1333 by Sultan Abu Al Hassan. This madrasa takes the form of a narrow courtyard surrounded by a gallery, and every available surface is inlaid with intricate Zellige, its walls of stucco and carved cedar wood, its friezes of plaster and carved wood, its roof composed of glazed tiles, and its columns are topped with stone capitals decorated with foliage and snails.

The day after its inauguration, Lissane Eddine ibn al-Khatib (in Arabic لسان الدين بن الخطيب ) - the famous Arab-Andalusian writer, historian and philosopher visited the Madrasa. He was surprised to find so many poets there. In his book "The Exemplary Way", he explains that the people of Salé make a great contribution to all sciences, such as medicine, philosophy, rhetoric and religious sciences.

"Salé is a city impressive in its beauty and splendor, a city harmoniously combining the features of urbanity and country life" Ibn Al-Khatib

In this period of confinement, it is worth mentioning his works, written in more than sixty books. He first articulated the concept of contagiousness during a plague epidemic in Spain in 1348. In them, he rigorously describes the development and spread of an epidemic.

On your next trip to Morocco, we invite you to visit the city of Salé to discover the richness of its history, the beauty of its architecture and the hospitality of the Slaouis. At the end of this getaway, you are invited to the family home of Mouima to taste the best Mint Tea in the world .

Next, we suggest you visit the cultural capital of Morocco - Rabat - and then the cities of Fez and Meknes - the historical reference centers of this centuries-old art of Zellige.

Today, Zellige adorns the walls of grand hotels and elegant homes, decorates tea rooms and hammams, adds sophistication to palaces and illuminates fountains, and even swimming pools.

If you are lucky enough to go to Granada, be sure to visit the Alhambra Palace to see the magnificent Zellige in all its splendor.

In Paris, visit the Great Mosque and its Mint Tea Room, your eyes will contemplate this mystical decorative art while your heart will be filled with spiritual light.

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