Morocco is a beautiful and exotic country whose culture and style is shaped by its rich Berber and Islamic history. From Morocco: Enchantment of the World we learn about the meaning behind the intricate tile patterns that decorate so many walls, floors, and important buildings in Morocco.
We read that the Koran does not allow images of animals or people to prevent Muslims from worshiping other gods or creating idols. Because of this, decorations in Morocco often featured geometric shapes repeated to form a pattern. Koranic script was also incorporated into the design in many cases. While the patterns might look busy, they are actually very calming. Some patterns are very intricate and others are quite simple, with only one shape repeated over and over.
While we live thousands of miles away from Morocco, and our culture is quite a bit different, we see the influence of Moroccan design all around us. We head to a local store and quickly find many examples…
A colorful plate…
A bowl with a tile patterned rim…
A placemat…
A table runner…
A cluster of candles!
a foot mop!
A selection of lanterns…
An area rug…
And an even larger rug…
Lamps…
Lots of sheets!
A pattern of pottery…
Gift bags!
Several ceramic table tops…
Giant flip flops!!
And a pair of bottles
Comfy chairs
…and even cozy baby blankets.
As you can see, the Moroccan influence is all around us. Hopefully now that the scouts have learned a bit about its history, they will appreciate its beauty even more!
Globe Scouts 