Colorful Floor Surfaces. Colored cement floor tiles, also known as carpet floor tiles, were fashionable in most Mediterranean countries, including Palestine, since the 19th century. They were widespread mainly in Jerusalem’s urban houses, of all ethnic communities, and most prominent in homes of affluent Arab families in the Talbieh, Katamon, Baq’a, Sheikh Jarrah and Musrara neighborhoods. The floor tiles, designed in a variety of patterns and colors and in a dazzling array of complexity and intricacy, decorated almost every type of room, but particularily entrance halls and reception rooms. Most of the patterns were floral or geometric, based on design motifs from various European catalogues. Some of the tiles were imported from Italy, Germany and Spain, others were designed and produced in local workshops like the German Wieland Brothers and the Chelouche Brothers both in Jaffa, and the Qassisiyeh Brothers in Jerusalem.Traditional decorative floor tiles became fashionable again towards the end of the 20th centry. This chapter includes a number of tile designs which are not part of the repertoire of Arab houses, with inter alia, stylized swastikas, in a German Templer house, and Stars of David in a Jewish house.
God is in the Details
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