Cut-tile mosaic

In moarraq, tiles are glazed in single colours and fired; craftsmen then cut them into small shaped pieces following a full-scale design and assemble them face-down, filling the back with mortar to form a panel. Because each colour is fired separately at its ideal temperature, moarraq achieves clean, brilliant colours. It flourished from the Timurid period and appears on major monuments in Isfahan, Yazd, Mashhad and elsewhere.

Haft-rang (seven-colour) tiles are painted with several colours on one square tile and fired once, a faster method that spread widely under the Safavids. In haft-rang, colours sit side by side on one tile surface with fine dark outlines; in moarraq, every colour area is a separate piece of tile with mortar joints. Looking for joint lines is the simplest observation.

Monument tilework has been restored repeatedly, so a panel on an old building may combine original and replacement pieces. Contemporary workshops in Isfahan and elsewhere produce moarraq for restoration and for new commissions. A modern panel can be genuine handmade Iranian work without being historic; the two claims should be stated separately.

Panels are heavy and their mortar can weaken with moisture and salts. Mount on a rigid support, keep away from damp walls and avoid acidic cleaners that attack mortar and glaze. Loose fragments should be bagged and labelled for a conservator.