For this blog I will be analyzing two fragmented ceramic tiles I found while I was hiking on Elba Island (An Island off the coast of Piombino, Italy–also the Island that Napoleon was exiled to in 1814, fun fact!). These were also a part of my objects that I brought in on the first day that bring me happiness.

These tiles tend to dance around my room. Sometimes they are sit on my night stand, inside of my memory box, or on my desk. I handle them quite often reminiscing– especially during this time as it has been about a year since I traveled abroad. I came across them while a friend and I were entering a town on the other side of the island from where we were staying. These pieces were on top of a pile of rubbish in what seemed like the outskirts of someone’s backyard–I promise I wasn’t committing an act of larceny. Nonetheless, I grabbed two as a souvenir.

I can only assume that this was not the creator’s original intention. To be quite honest, I’m not sure exactly where these tiles were being used. There are a couple of places I could guess based on my surroundings–either accenting the outside a home, above an outdoor sink/well, or in a bathroom. I’m not sure if these tiles were mounted in the same room or even house.

Based on the size of these fragments, I would presume that the tiles were originally 5in x5in squares. The first tile has more or less a triangular shape. The edges are jagged in some places but smoothed out in other areas. The top has a white glaze with yellow and green line work as well as what appears to be a half of a floral design. The pattern appears to be minimalist in comparison to the second. The the surface of the glaze is surprisingly not chipped other than a small dink on one of the corners.  On the back side of the tile is coated in a some dry cement that was used to adhere the tile to a wall. Engraved on the back is an “S” outlined by a triangle and along one side of the triangle says “S.Marco.” Based on a little Google search , this might be a marking of the tile company/designer called “Terreal:San Marco.”  

The second tile, which is a slightly smaller fragment does not take on a specific shape. The patterning on the white glaze seems to take up more space on this tile. Red circles, blue dots, and blue teardrop shape that arc over the red circles. This tile has a much larger chip on one of its corners. The texture of the edges is basically the same as the first–kind of rough but also smooth. The back side of this tile does not have any cement residue on it. On this side is an engraved grid, the number “1077” and the name “Marazzi.” After looking this name up, I found that this is an international tile company with stores in Italy, USA, Korea, China, and Spain–and after looking at this site, it seems like this tile is quite outdated in comparison to the selections they currently have.

Although I looked at and handled these tiles pretty often and I never paid much mind to the back and more so the names on the back of them. In hindsight I wish I grabbed more of these tiles, in either fragments or whole tiles to have and to analyze.