Morocco--Mosaics & other deco

Warning: I went a little nuts taking pictures of the intricate carvings and mosaics....

		Gate to the royal palace in Fes (all you could see of the palace, really).
We visited a ceramics co-operative in Fes to see the work in action. These two represent the final steps in the mosaics production line. Previous workers have glazed a block of clay, traced the shapes on the block. The top picture shows one of the men who chisel the shapes from the block. The second man then takes all the various pieces and puts them together in a pattern (painted side down). Then they pour the cement over the top and voila!
arch covered with plaster carvings		more plaster carvings
typical combo: mosaics, then carved plaster (middle) topped with carved wood ceiling combo mosaics & plaster carvings		carved wooden ceilings
carved/painted camel skin in wooden frame		plaster carvings finished with gold for the Saadian tombs