Wondering what to bring back from Morocco and dreaming of a typical souvenir from Fez? Then pottery is your top one. From miniature bowls to king-size Moorish jars, the many shops in the medina are brimming with little masterpieces of Fès craftsmanship. Floral or geometric patterns, arabesques or calligraphy, traditional or contemporary style, warm colours or sober black and white, the choice will turn your head.

A centuries-old tradition in Fez

With several thousand years of history, pottery production is one of the oldest human activities. In Morocco, pottery producers can be found from North to South, each having developed very different styles: plain colours and rustic stoneware at the gateway to the desert versus fine, highly ornamented ceramics by the most renowned potters in Fès, Safi, Salé, Marrakech and Tétouan.

Even today, this craft is still very much alive, particularly in Fez, where it has been maintained for several centuries. Made in the Benjellik potters’ quarter on the outskirts of the city, all the pieces are created by hand, from the kneading of the clay to the most delicate finishing touches.

Colourful shopping in the medina of Fez

To miss the pottery shops in the medina of Fez is impossible, especially on the Talaa Sghera, where they are neck and neck. They are real Ali-Baba caves, literally displaying their treasures from floor to ceiling. Don’t hesitate to visit a few of them before making your choice, as each one works with different potters, so they don’t display exactly the same pieces.

In most shops, two types of clay are available. Grey clay produces very traditional pieces, thicker and more rustic but also more robust than those made from white clay, which is finer and brighter.

For lovers of tradition, don’t miss the items with blue patterns, the city’s signature colour. They are decorated with the famous ‘Fez blue’, a cobalt-based pigment found in the region.

Little English-Darija lexicon around pottery