Preserving Cairo’s Islamic Tiles: The Al-Darb Al-Ahmar Monuments Project
A member of the Al-Darb Al-Ahmar Monuments Project photographs the blue-tiled walls of Cairo’s Blue Mosque. In this essay, Hayam Ahmed Mohammed of Egypt’s Ministry of Antiquities describes her recent work, funded through the J.M. Kaplan Responsive Preservation Initiative, to document, categorize, and digitize thousands of decorative tiles that adorn the stunning monuments of Islamic Cairo. All photos courtesy of the author. Ceramic tiles are one of the oldest forms of decorat