History of Porcelain & Ceramic Tile

Ceramic tiles have been used by man since the creation of the clay roof coverings. Since then, technology has made possible the use of the ceramic tiles on walls, floors, fireplaces, and so on.

The term “ceramic” comes from the Greek “keramos”. We find the origin in old Sanskrit with the meaning of “burn”. This is due to the fact that tiles used to be fired in a hot oven with the purpose of ensuring that they were dry enough.

Originally, the ceramic tiles were heated in the sun, whilst furnaces were to be used only later to harden the tile and create a decorative surface glaze.

The evolution of ceramic and porcelain tiles has lead them to become both ornamental and utilitarian. From Spain to Turkey, buildings have been decorated with brightly-colored tiles, the Roman Empire used mosaic tiles in their bathrooms and dining rooms, and temples and shrines have used glazed ceramic plaque tiles to tell stories.

Where are we going with tile technology?

The use of tiles on walls, floors, fireplaces, ceilings, murals and so on has been made possible by the modern technology, while, with the newest techniques, ancient styles can be recreated without all the work it used to imply.