background
Ceramic art is one of the
world’s oldest form of art; it can be said to be as old as humans. The four
elements of earth, water, air and fire mix together to create this type of art.
During the Seljuq Dynasty (11th & 12th century) Muslim Ceramic artists had a great impact on the art
of ceramics. They had come up with a new glaze formula that gave them the
ability to create ceramic artifacts with the look of precious metal artifacts. This new glaze invention was especially welcomed by the elite because the use of dishes made of precious metals such as gold and silver was prohibited by Islam. In the process of making these pieces the artist would add the dotted design to mimic the metallic look even more.
Ceramic Tile collection at lacma _
use of Islamic ceramic tiles in USA mosques
In the Muslim countries the art of ceramic tiles has been widely used for decorating religious buildings specifically mosques. Muslims in the USA have kept their connection to the Islamic arts and especially have used the art of tiling to decorate their elaborate mosques. One of the most beautiful of these mosques is the Islamic Center of Washington DC.