How One Man In Egypt Is Keeping This 200-Year-Old Tile Tradition Alive | Still Standing
TLDRIn Egypt, Saied Hussain continues to uphold a 200-year-old tradition of handmade cement tile crafting, an art form that dates back to the 1800s. Despite competition from modern tile types, Saied remains dedicated to his craft, which he learned from his father who worked at a shop owned by Greek immigrants. The process involves meticulous steps like sifting cement, adding pigments, and using stencils for intricate designs. Cement tiles were once popular in Europe, especially post-World War I in Belgium, but fell out of favor by the mid-20th century. In the 1990s, ceramic and marble tiles dominated the Egyptian market, but Saied adapted by creating cheaper designs. His workshop, one of the last of its kind, produces up to 150 tiles daily, selling them for 500 Egyptian pounds per square meter. Saied has been offering free apprenticeships for 40 years to preserve the traditional process, emphasizing the importance of keeping this art form alive.
Takeaways
- 🎨 **Art of Tiles**: Saied Hussain views the craft of making cement tiles as an art form, maintaining a tradition that dates back to the 1800s.
- 🏭 **Workshop Survival**: Despite competition from other types of tiles, Saied's workshop in Cairo remains one of the few places where this traditional craft is still practiced.
- 👵 **Longevity of Skills**: Saied has been crafting tiles since he was 12, preserving a process that has seen little change over the decades.
- 🎨 **Artistry in Colors**: His expertise lies in working with colors, using pigments to achieve the desired hues for the tiles.
- 🛠️ **Craftsmanship**: Saied uses stencils that are over 35 years old, demonstrating a dedication to the traditional methods of tile making.
- 🔍 **Precision in Design**: Attention to detail is crucial in his work, with Saied meticulously handling the finer aspects of each tile's design.
- 🏗️ **Layering Technique**: A mixture of sand, cement, and limestone is added to the mold to secure the pattern, showcasing the technical side of the craft.
- ⚙️ **Hydraulic Press**: The use of a hydraulic press to quickly solidify the cement is a testament to the blend of manual skill and mechanical aid in the process.
- 🌍 **Global Origins**: Cement tiles have a history in various parts of Europe, with factories emerging in the UK, France, and Belgium post-cement's discovery.
- 📉 **Market Shift**: Changing preferences led to a decline in cement tiles' popularity in Europe by the mid-20th century, and in Egypt, ceramic and marble took over in the 1990s.
- 💰 **Economic Adaptation**: To stay afloat, Saied innovated by creating new, more affordable designs to appeal to the market.
- 👷 **Labor of Love**: The high cost of materials and the physical demands of the work have deterred many, but Saied's passion keeps the craft alive.
- 👥 **Small Team, Big Impact**: With just two employees, Saied's team can produce up to 150 tiles a day, selling them at a modest price to the local community.
- 📚 **Preserving Tradition**: Saied has offered free apprenticeships for 40 years, aiming to pass on the traditional tile-making process to a new generation.
- 🎓 **Mastery and Mentorship**: Not everyone can master this craft, highlighting the importance of Saied's mentorship in preserving the skill.
Q & A
What is the primary material used by Saied Hussain in his tile-making process?
-Saied Hussain primarily uses cement, which he sifts into a fine powder, as the primary material in his tile-making process.
How has Saied Hussain adapted his tile-making business to stay competitive?
-Saied has adapted by creating new, cheaper tile designs to remain competitive and address the challenges of high material costs and the labor-intensive nature of the work.
What technique does Saied use to ensure the colors and patterns of his tiles are precise?
-Saied uses stencils, some of which he has owned for over 35 years, to pour each color into its designated section, ensuring precision in the colors and patterns of his tiles.
Why are cement tiles significant in the context of historical building materials?
-Cement tiles became significant as a building material in the 1800s due to their affordability and efficiency. They were widely used in Europe for reconstruction efforts, particularly after World War I.
What challenges has the cement tile industry faced in Egypt according to the script?
-In Egypt, the cement tile industry has faced challenges from competing materials like ceramic and marble tiles, which became popular in the 1990s, as well as the high cost of materials and the physically demanding nature of the work.
How does Saied contribute to the preservation of the tile-making craft?
-Saied contributes to preserving the tile-making craft by offering free apprenticeships to young craftsmen for the past 40 years, ensuring the traditional process and skills are passed on.
What is the significance of the hydraulic press in Saied's tile-making process?
-The hydraulic press is crucial in Saied's process as it solidifies the cement within seconds, ensuring the durability and integrity of the tiles after the patterns are set.
How did Saied Hussain learn the craft of tile-making?
-Saied Hussain learned the craft of tile-making from his father, who previously worked at a shop owned by Greek immigrants, indicating a tradition of skill passed down through generations.
What impact did changing tastes in Europe have on the cement tile industry?
-Changing tastes in Europe led to a decline in the popularity of cement tiles by the mid-20th century, as other styles and materials became more fashionable.
How productive is Saied Hussain's workshop, and what is their output in terms of tiles?
-Saied Hussain's workshop is quite productive, with him and his two employees able to make up to 150 tiles in just a day.
Outlines
🏺 The Art of Handmade Cement Tiles in Egypt
This paragraph introduces Saied Hussain, a dedicated craftsman from Cairo, Egypt, who specializes in the art of handmade cement tiles. The craft, prevalent since the 1800s due to cement's affordability and efficiency, faces challenges from other tile types but remains Saied's passion. The narrator details Saied's traditional methods which have been consistent since he was 12, including mixing pigments with white cement, creating colors, and utilizing stencils that are over 35 years old. Some designs are even crafted freehand. After designing, the tiles undergo a crucial hydraulic press process to solidify the cement. The craft, initially learned from his father who worked for Greek immigrants, reflects a deep history with roots in European countries such as the UK, France, and Belgium, particularly post-World War I.
🛠 Preserving the Craft of Cement Tiles
The second paragraph continues to explore Saied's dedication to his craft in the face of modern challenges. Despite shifts in market preferences towards ceramic and marble in the 1990s, Saied has adapted by creating more cost-effective designs. With only two employees, his team manages to produce up to 150 tiles a day, selling them locally in Cairo. Saied also invests in the future of the craft by offering 40-year-long free apprenticeships to young craftsmen, emphasizing the art's complexity and his hope that it will endure. He stresses the importance of preserving this traditional process, ensuring it continues beyond his lifetime.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Cement tiles
💡Handmade
💡Workshop
💡Stencils
💡Hydraulic press
💡Apprenticeships
💡Craftsmanship
💡Cultural heritage
💡Market changes
💡Artistic value
Highlights
Cement tiles are handmade in one of the few remaining workshops in Egypt, preserving a craft that dates back to the 1800s.
Saied Hussain views the creation of cement tiles not just as a trade, but as an art form.
Despite competition from other types of tiles, Saied remains committed to his traditional craft.
The process of making tiles begins with sifting white cement into a fine powder.
Saied specializes in working with colors, adding pigments to the cement powder to achieve the desired hues.
Each color is poured into its own section of the mold using stencils that Saied has used for over 35 years.
The finer details of the tile designs are navigated slowly and precisely by Saied.
Some tile designs are done freehand, showcasing Saied's artistic skills.
A mixture of sand, cement, and limestone is added to the mold to ensure the pattern stays in place.
The hydraulic press is used to solidify the cement within seconds.
Saied learned the craft from his father, who worked at a shop owned by Greek immigrants.
Cement tiles have a history in Europe, with factories emerging in the UK and France during the 1800s.
The industry in Belgium flourished after World War I when cement tiles were an affordable rebuilding material.
Changing tastes led to the decline of cement tiles in Europe by the mid-20th century.
In the 1990s, ceramic and marble tiles took over the market in Egypt, impacting Saied's business.
The high cost of materials and the physical demands of the work have deterred new workers from entering the craft.
Saied adapted by creating new, cheaper designs to stay in business.
His team, one of the last tile-making teams in Egypt, can produce up to 150 tiles in a day.
Tiles are sold to customers around Cairo for 500 Egyptian pounds, or $31, per square meter.
Saied has been offering free apprenticeships for 40 years to keep the traditional tile-making process alive.
Mastering the craft is not easy, and Saied emphasizes the importance of the art form's continuation.