Moroccan tiles and mosaics are one of the most recognizable aspects of Moroccan art and architecture. The same traditional techniques covering walls of ancient mosques and palaces are still used today, and now can brighten up your home. Zellige art, a tradition of geometric mosaic, is generally considered to be part of the urban aesthetic tradition. Zellige mosaics are created from polychrome cut tiles, first appearing in the late twelfth century in the city of Fez.

The urban aesthetic tile design evolved into a flexible, complex, and legible artistic vocabulary that now dominates Moroccan urban art and craft. Creation, design, use, and appreciation of all art and craft-work is often done as an act of worship, imbuing Moroccan workmanship with a meditative feel. Historians speculate that zellige tile designs were originally inspired by Byzantine stone and glass mosaics, but concede a strong connection to the close cultural exchange between Morocco and Moorish Spain.