Totally Tessellated: Decorative Uses, Ancient and Modern

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A floor-like tiling:

Variation of actual uses of tessellations:

Introduction
Suppose you were to cover a large surface (such as a floor) with little pieces of material. You would probably choose to design a repeating pattern since repeating patterns are usually more beautiful than a haphazard non-repeating one. When you finished, you would have designed a tessellation! Any repeating pattern of shapes that cover a plane without overlap is considered a tessellation. Thus, it is not surprising that tessellations and tilings can be found in many cultures, both ancient and modern.

General Information
Tessellations are thousands of years old and can be found all over the world in a variety of cultures and in a variety of forms. They can be traced all the way back to the Sumerian civilization (about 4000 B.C.) in which the walls of homes and temples were decorated by designs of tessellations constructed from slabs of hardened clay. Not only did these tessellations provide decoration but they also became part of the structure of the buildings. Since then, tessellations have been found in many of the artistic elements of wide-ranging cultures including the Egyptians, Moors, Romans, Persians, Greek, Byzatine, Arabic, Japanese, and Chinese.

The kinds of shapes used in the tilings vary between culture to culture. Coloring techniques, which can make tremendous differences in the overall visual effect of a tessellation, also vary from culture to culture. Finally, the amount of embellishment added to the tilings varies among the artwork in each culture.

For example, the Islamic religion forbids the representation of living objects in works of art. The Moors have consequently created only abstract geometrical works composed of simple shapes. Nevertheless, their works of intricate design are nothing short of breathtaking. On the other hand, Romans and other Mediterranean peoples have incorporated detailed illustrations of humans and natural scenes into their designs.

Examples
Probably the best known example of tessellated patterns has been the Alhambra palace, an Islamic architectural marvel located in Granada, Spain. Its floors, walls, and ceilings are literally covered with tessellations and other repeating patterns.

In recent times, tessellations have appeared on floors, walls, ceilings, and buildings, and in ceramics, clothing designs, rugs, wallpaper, and stained-glass windows. They have continued to be an art form with artists such as Maurits Escher, Victor Vasarely, and Bridget Riley, who have explored variations and extensions of tilings on the plane.

Visit the historical gallery for many examples of tessellations as they have appeared in everyday life.