The Unique Background Of Turkish Iznik Tiles

You might have heard about the famous Iznik tiles that originated during the Ottoman period. Well, its popularity still exists. But do you actually know the whole history of Iznik tiles?

Here we elaborate on the history or roots of Iznik tiles.

History of Iznik Tiles

In 1331, Iznik became an Ottoman city. The ancient art of Iznik tiles reached its peak during the Ottoman empire, with origins in the Seljuk Empire and a history that overlaps centuries. 

Turkish tiles and ceramics have their origins in the 8th and 9th centuries with the Uyghurs, and their influence spread throughout Anatolia with the Seljuks. Even though Iznik eventually became renowned for its tiles, the tiles which adorned mausoleums, mosques, and palaces in the earlier Ottoman period were not Iznik tiles.

The exquisite Iznik tiles can be found in the Süleymaniye Mosque (1557), the Tomb of Hürrem Sultan (1558), the Mosque of Rüştem Paşa (1561), and the Tomb of Süleyman I. (1566) and so on.

The Ottoman Empire's financial suffering and political turmoil inevitably affected the Iznik potters in the mid of the 17th century as their goods began losing their livelihood. By the 18th century, the Iznik ceramic industry had nearly died out, with Kütahya taking its place as the dominant center.

Hence, Kütahya was privileged as the center for tiles and ceramics production. Yet many private institutions work to maintain the ritual of Iznik tiles active with newness.

Let’s understand the ancient way of manufacturing the Iznik tiles.

Process of creating Iznik tiles

We got Iznik tiles prepared from similar traditional methods to offer their archaic essence to you guys. The basic overview of the process is as follows;

❖ The procedure begins with the creation of the bottom, termed as biscuits; which is made up of 85% locally obtained ground quartz; the rest is clay and silica.

❖ After drying for 7 to 10 days, biscuits are surrounded by a thick underglaze composed of quartz and clay. They are subsequently air-dried for another 10 days before being baked at 920 degrees in massive ovens.

❖ The following step is the most crucial. The traditional geometric and floral motifs (which contain tulips, roses, and carnations) are drawn on sketching paper, pierced with a needle, and relocated to the biscuit with charcoal dust.

❖ We use natural metal oxide colors to paint the design elements. The copper oxide creates a deep cobalt blue-colored print.

❖ Glazing is the final step, and this is where creativity occurs. The biscuit is glazed with sir, a thick off-white mixture of quartz, metal oxides, and soda.

❖ This ultimate coat gives the piece a shiny finish, brings out the intensity in the colors, and protects it. It also renders the ceramics nearly everlasting.

❖ The piece is air-dried before being baked for 12 ongoing hours. The pale colors are turned by fire into intense, vibrant hues.

This is how our aesthetically pleasing and dazzling Iznik tiles are made. Nowadays, people like vintage or ancient-looking decorative accessories. And Iznik tiles are the perfect example of ancient and luxury gifts. Well, PESHCE will surely be your partner to choose or get this lavish present from.

To take you back in time, we have come up with handcrafted Iznik Babanakkas style tiles. They are around 35 cm long and have a gin oven at 910-920 degrees. Our embellishing plate formed in the tumbler technique and glazed with lead. Its appearance will surely take your heart.

Gifting these tiles would definitely be appreciated by your beloved ones. You won’t regret your decision. It will appear like a masterpiece for the home decors.

Because it’s not just a gift; it’s more than it!