The Medina is kind of a labyrinth, full of narrow, winding, colorful passageways and friendly people.   With more than 9,000 streets, it's easy to get lost, but difficult to miss the beautiful craftsmanship and artwork draping every storefront
This potter is busy in his workshop creating one of the signature crafts of Fez.  The Medina is known for rich, vibrant, bright blue painted ceramics, called Fassi Pottery.  It starts with the extraction of clay from the earth around Fez
Once dry, artists paint ceramics with traditional glazes and designs in preparation for the kiln.  Kilns are usually beehive shaped and fueled by the ground-up olive pits that remain once the oil has been removed by the local olive oil indust
These decorative tiles await their turn the kiln.  
Finished fassi pottery sits in stacks on sale at the pottery workshop.  Cobalt oxide glaze and a mix of floral and geometric shapes create this distinctive Fez style.  
Zellige, meaning tile  in Arabic, is the art of Moroccan mosaic, a technique that has been around since the 10th century.   Seen here, zellige decorates this community water fountain.  
Another craftsman at the pottery workshop begins the zellige process by forming tile blanks and laying them in the sun to dry.  
The tiles are squared off, glazed, and fired in the kiln.  
After the tiles are fired, these artisans chip and chisel them into small pieces that will be used to form intricate mosaic designs.  Shapes are traced on the tile blanks around a master pattern to keep project tiles consistent.  Tiles a
Artists assemble the zellige design in panels.   Each piece is placed face down, to ensure an even surface, starting in the center and building the pattern out.  Once the pattern is complete, the tiles are dusted with cement and lime. &nb
Magnificent zellige covers a variety of surfaces in Fez, from floors and walls, to stairs, pillars and benches, as evident in this mosque.  
This skilled artist is one of the last remaining masters of this craft in Fez.  Known as Damascene metalwork, this distinctive art form is more commonly found in the nearby city of Meknes, Morocco.  It involves meticulously inlaying and
Damascene metalwork turtles.    
In the Weaver's Souk, this man uses a large, wooden loom to weave fine cactus silk into a scarf.  
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Colorful cactus silk threads and tassels line the shelves of the Souk.    
Silk scarves brighten the walls of workshops and stores.    
The famous tanneries of Fez sit in the middle of the Medina.   
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Through a community effort, the leather craftsmen continue to use a centuries-old technique for turning animal skins into soft leather, used to make bags, jackets, shoes, cushions, and many other decorative and useful goods.   
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Freshly dyed skins are placed in the sun to dry.  Once dry, the skins are hung over a pole while workers use tools to scrape away any excess wool or hair.  This is one of the best known artisan trades in Fez.   
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