Turkish Blue Tile

When I was in Istanbul, my host family had invited me over to their uncle's house for dinner. He had a beautiful blue tile that I was fascinated by. It was by their fireplace and he had told me that it was all hand made. I started to think how long would it take someone one to hand paint a piece like this and put it together. 

History of the Blue Tile 

Tiles are a big part of decor all around the mediterranean and Turkey. The art of Turkish tiles can be traced as far back as the 8th century. There are many rich cultures that are passed down from generation to generation within the Turkish tiles. It started with the Uighurs of the 8th century and later was influenced by the Seljuks and became full bloom in the 13th century. The Seljuks were skillful in mosaic tile that they used for interior decoration, vaults and walls. In the late 15th centure begins the Ottoman era of tile and ceramic making.The Sultanahmet Mosque in Istanbul is famously known as the Blue Mosque because of the tiles. 

Ceramic tiles play a big part in Turkey's economy. Other than oil and carpet, ceramic tiles are also one of the main tourist attractions and exportation products. In the ceramic world, Turkey is one of the largest ceramic producers and exporters in the ceramic tile and sanitary ware sectors.