Study of urban hydraulic tiles
Introduction
A tile is a slab or manufactured tile, made in different types and techniques of ceramics, as well as stone, rubber, cork, glass, metal, plastic, etc.
Originally, thin square brick, rectangular or polygonal in shape and of different sizes, used for pavements, was called tile. In archeology it is defined as a thin brick or tile to cover floors and walls, and usually with a polished surface. In the linguistic field, Corominas assumes it derived from tile stone or "superimposed brick", as opposed to the natural stone that would make up a habitable surface.[1].
Historical origins
Contenido
El embaldosado o proceso de cubrir superficies con baldosa tiene una larga tradición arqueológica y artística en interiores y una presencia distintiva en la arquitectura urbana (calles, plazas, aceras, parques, escalinatas, etc.).
ceramic tiles
The oldest baked clay tiles date back to Babylon in the century BC. C. Abstracting from what the Far East could offer in this field and following the great Western cultures, we must mention the great Roman industry of terracotta tiles, a technique and use that remained dormant until the Arabs reintroduced them to the Iberian Peninsula. The Quran's imperatives of austerity would stimulate the creation of dazzling geometric designs on the floors and walls of the royal palaces and mosques of Al-Andalus.
Clay fired with tin varnish is also a technique that originated in the Middle East. After firing, the tile was covered with white varnish and decorated with pigments before being fired again to achieve a shiny surface. In turn, Italian majolica is considered a European version of this technique.
The typical format of handmade terracotta tiles was a square of 25 cm on each side. With industrialization, uniform options such as unglazed tiles replaced hand-made ones. In very recent times, the taste for natural, more authentic forms of decoration has recovered artisanal manufacturing. However, the historic terracotta tiles, classic, austere, elegant, are used almost exclusively for floor paving, while glazed tile, with its variety of colors, styles and designs, captures the majority of the market. Since the end of the century, following the imperatives of comfort, tiles that are easy to clean and maintain have prevailed over aesthetic criteria. However, the small tile, the mosaic, has seen a resurgence in recent years.