Saturday 16 January 2010

Tozeur Brickwork






Having printed off some Tunisian photos for Ian to show to his Dad (I'm at home with chest infection - on the antibiotics now), time to upload some more images here. In the Ouled el Hadef quarter in Tozeur, the houses are constructed of yellowish handmade bricks, protruding in ornate geometrical designs in relief - the shapes and motifs repeated on local carpets and shawls.
First used in Syria and Iraq during the 8th Century , the only other place it is practised today is Iran(we saw some in Yazd ). The pattern-making bricks create small patches of shade , generating convection currents that cool the surface. Practical as well as picturesque!

2 comments:

neki desu said...

enjoying your photos.
get well and stay warm .

Margaret Cooter said...

Interesting to know the patterning has a practical use! "Every little helps"...