The Zimbabwe African art tile is made by an African Women’s Co-operative and individually decorated, with traditional patterns scribed into the raw clay as it begins to harden.

To achieve its distinctive finish, the tile is cooked in an open fire before being plunged into sawdust to smoulder. In the final process, the women brew a strong liquid from local tree barks and leaves and brush it over the surface as the clay cools.

These African art tiles are available to special order from De Ferranti and are for use on walls only.

Zimbabwe African art tile pattern

The complete tile is organised into horizontal registers of punctured marks, large triangles, curved lines and a central diamond lattice. Unlike a flat printed pattern, the design is read through incision, reflected light and the changing colour of the fired surface. Deep black passages sit beside bronze, umber and warm brown, making each band more or less prominent according to the viewing angle.

The Zimbabwe African art tile has sufficient presence to be framed as an individual ceramic artwork. In a larger grouping, its dense marks and irregular tonal transitions can produce a richly worked wall where repetition remains visibly handmade.

Compare Eritrea, another co-operative-made and hand-scribed wall tile, and Tierra Negra Africa C, whose framed registers provide a more ordered interpretation of related motifs. Further fired-earth references appear in Terracotta Floors & Walls, while Textures in Various Finishes & Combinations supports broader surface comparisons.

Arranging a richly marked wall tile

Review several current pieces before confirming a multi-tile layout, as colour and individual scribing should be expected to vary. Consider whether the horizontal bands should align from tile to tile or remain independent. Directional lighting can reveal the relief, while sympathetic grout and careful joint planning will avoid competing with the dense surface pattern.

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