Set of tiles and alfardones

15th century, MCM Inv. (from top to bottom and from left to right): 4662, 520, 533 and 370.

The triangular tile on the left belongs to a donation from the Casanova Dalfó – Sanchis bequest, while the alfardó below was a donation from José Mª Moreno Royo. The upper alfardó was found in an archaeological excavation.

These tiles, along with those found in the rest of the display case, represent various types of tiles produced in Manises that constitute a rich repertoire of Valencian Gothic pavement tiles. They are made squeezing the red paste using a “palmata” into a mould known as “graella”. The raw clay is freehand decorated with a paintbrush using cobalt oxide (sometimes also manganese is included) and it is fired. Then it receives a tin glaze and is fired again. Decoration is sometimes completed with sgraffitos.