Spanish Ceramics
Al-Ándalus and Mudéjar Ceramics
Valencian Ceramics
Aragonese Ceramics
Castilian Ceramics
Catalan Ceramics
Andalusian Ceramics

Al-Ándalus and Mudéjar Ceramics

Jarra de época almohade     Hallada en Palma de Mallorca. Finales del siglo XII-principios del siglo XV

Al-Ándalus Ceramics
5th to 15th century

Al Andalus was the westernmost Islamic province. From the 8th to the 15th century the Arabs governed a large part of the Iberian Peninsula and introduced their language and customs, music and poetry, irrigation systems and the study of geography. Arabic craftsmen introduced techniques for waterproofing ceramics and for decoration with wooden stamps, cuerda seca or dry cord, metal oxides and golden lustres.

Andalusian potters, who came originally from Syria, Persia and Egypt, designed tableware, ornamental jars and architectural features, including well curbs for the courtyards of houses. From the Iberian Peninsula, these techniques spread all over Europe.

Brocal de pozo de época mudéjar Córdoba.  Siglo XV

Mudèjar Ceramics
15th and 16th centuries
The Mudejars were members of the Islamic community who stayed on in the areas conquered from the Arabs before 1492. Before that date, they had been allowed to keep their own customs and language.

Almost all the potters who worked for Christian customers were Mudejars. For the decoration of ceramics they used painted, incised or stamped motifs of both Islamic and Christian origin.

Features of Mudejar decoration include: profuse ornamentation – horror vacui – a radial ornamental structure, concentric bands and the axis of symmetry.

Especially noteworthy are the Seville alicatados, tiles for covering walls and floors made with aliceres (small pieces of polychrome pottery joined to form ornamental compositions).