Ceramics came to Turkey way before there even was a Turkey. When the Seljuk's enjoyed victory over the Byzantines in 1071, ceramics came with them into Anatolia. Simple designs first,
then more complex and detailed designs were explored in colours that could be obtained easily from nature: black, royal blue and tourquoise
, then yellow and red and pale green.
Animals and people were avoided as subjects, appropriate to the Islamic aversion to depict or copy anything God creates. But somehow
plant and flower designs were used, as was calligraphy, and the most amazing geometric patterns. If you try to draw one of these, you must be very patient. You may think you are drawing a simple star, for example, but the lines of the star go beyond the star itself and maybe becomes part of another star. But still the line does not stop. These never-ending designs were an artistic expression of eternity. God is eternity and what he makes it eternity too - no beginning or end, only each thing a part of everything. It's a heady concept beyond a ring being the one design without end or beginning. A plain old circle is a pretty tame affair after you see these wondrous panels of ceramic tiles.
Vet a load of these!
The Ottoman Turks inherited all this craftsmanship and eye for design when they emerged from the Seljuk era. Innovation in the craft expanded hugely in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. The most important centre at the time was Iznik and it still is a key ceramics centre, as are Istanbul, Bursa and Kutahya.
One of the most interesting stops we made in Bursa was a mosque under renovation and repair. These historians are touching up the damage on these original tiles. They used tiny brushes and a bevy of blues and greens to try to match exactly.
We were told that two of them would take 10 long days to renovate a span of perhaps 6 feet by 12 feet. Which ain't much, honey, when this is the sort of space you are dealing with:
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