For centuries, Fez has been the melting pot of Moroccan traditional art. We owe the exceptional preservation of decorative techniques dating from the Moors to its medina - a source of inspiration for artists - and to other towns rich in history, such as Marrakesh and Rabat.

Crossing the Talaa Kebira, the great hill of Fez El- Bali, with its picturesque atmosphere heavy with the aroma of spices, leather, cedar and mint, we reach the heart of the medina. We first come across the leather market, where skins are stored before dyeing. Close by are the shoe sellers striking displays of exquisite blue- grey slippers. Further on lies the Kissaria and its eye- Catching market of embroideries and silks. The belts layered with gold or silver silk draw on both Moorish tradition and Levantine inspiration. The dark blue silk embroideries, on the other hand, owe their origin to Asia Minor and the Balkans.

The En- Nejjari market shelters the carpenters. They make finely carved coffee tables, chests and cupboards, with the classic motifs of double palms and crowns, intermixed with Persian elements such as carnations and tulips. The es- Seffarine square is the coppersmith center, where large, finely engraved trays and cauldrons, used for celebrations, are piled one on trop of each other. Through the dye merchants market with its bright wools, silks and cottons is the tanner's market, impossible to ignore even from afar because of the strong scent emanating from its tanks of saffron, poppy and indigo.

In the Andalusian quarter, a large chimney marks the pottery market. Although the secret of metallic reflections is lost forever, the potter still uses the famous blue, brown, green and lemon yellow colors and respects old decorations.

Plaster is to this day being used in sculpted forms to cover masonry, ant the plaster craftsman remains unchallenged in his ability to cut enamelled clay into the squares that produce ceramics and to arrange them in roses on panelling, alcoves and basins. often bejmats, the enamelled half- bricks, cover the floors of patios and riads.

In other important centers, as in Marrakesh, Andalusian clay is back in fashion and the tedlakt, the egg- based lime coating, is once again favored in the new clay villas built by young Moroccan architects. The zouaq, a glue- paint that illuminates woodwork, is greatly prized.

The most beautiful Berber carpets, with their geometric patterns and the somber colors of ancient fabrics, are woven in the High- and Mid- Atlas regions, and in the Marrakesh region. On the other hand, carpets manufactured in towns, particularly in Rabat, are inspired by multi- colored models from Asia Minor.

The Cabinet makers of Essaouira, a port Between Safi and Agadir, work in thuya wood, decorating it with inlays of lemon tree wood, mother of pearl, ivory or silver.

Finally, the jewel market of Tiznit in the south, a stopping point for desert nomads and inhabitants of the lower Atlas and Souss regions, is a constant surprise with its colorful displays of traditional costumes and especially the beautiful work of its goldsmiths. There we can find tiaras, pendants and brooches curiously reminiscent of old Moorish models. But it is especially in their tradition of refined enamels that we realize that the creative secret of medieval Andalusia has been closely kept.