Tadelakt
Tadelakt or Tadellakt is a bright,
nearly waterproof lime plaster which can be used on the inside
of buildings and on the outside. It is the traditional coating
of the palaces, hammams and
bathrooms of the riads in Morocco.
Its traditional application includes being polished with a river
stone and treated with a soft soap to acquire its final appearance
and water resistance. Tadelakt is a Berber word
meaning to rub.
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Zellige
Zellige (zillij or
zellij) is terra cotta tilework covered with enamel in the
form of chips set into plaster. It is one of the main characteristics
of the Moroccan architecture though it is also
used in other North African and Muslim countries.
It consists of geometrical mosaics made ceramic used mainly as
an ornament for walls, ceilings, fountains, floors, pools, tables,
etc.
By the middle-ages, the
eight-point star is widely used as a symbol in Islamic
art. It is called khatim or khatim sulayman,
seal of the prophets, as in signet ring. The phrase “seal
of the prophets” is also used in the Koran
and has particular ideological meaning for Muslims.
Moroccan zillij artisans also refer to the eight-point star as
sibniyyah, sabniyyah, which is a derivative
of the number seven sab’ah.
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