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Marquetry Morocco

Marquetery of Essaouira, MoroccoEssaouira, situed in the Maroccan coastal spot, is famous for its wood carcers from where you can recognize the delicious scent of thuja wood. Thuja is a genus of coniferous tree you can find a lot around Essaouira.


The art of marquetry is born in the XIXe century in Morocco, and the sultans liked to decorate their palaces with furniture, tables, jars coming from skilled craftmen in marquetry.


The marquetry consists in sticking on the bottom of joinery a mosaic of precious wood where come to inscruster fragments of shells as mother of pearl, or fragments of silvery threads. It is also decorated with floral ornements or geometrical figures. We can find jewel boxes, tables, jars...


Craftmen, of origin souiris (inhabitants of Essaouira) for the greater part, are very skilful to work thuya wood which is not a soft wood. They excel in polishing and varnishing this wood with a  great talent and the wood seems brilliant and smooth.


In Essaoouira, many crafmen are still going on working this way with thuja, lemon tree, cedar, sheells which gives to every creation a luxurious refinement for the plaisure of eyes and touch.