Fayoum hand-painted ceramic cup · Palm frond

Hand-painted Egyptian ceramic cup from the Fayoum Pottery School, Tunis village. Wheel-thrown from Nile Valley clay with delicate palm frond motifs in sage green and navy on an ivory ground, with a warm terracotta base and rim. The glazed interior makes it ideal for coffee or tea. Suitable for food and beverages.

The Craft. Made from clay sourced from the Nile Valley in Aswan, these cups are wheel-thrown and decorated entirely by hand, the palm frond motifs painted in confident, flowing strokes of sage green and navy before a clear glaze is applied to both the interior and exterior, and fired. Small enough to hold in one hand, each cup carries a full expression of the Fayoum oasis landscape in its decoration.

The Heritage. Although pottery-making was widespread in Egypt during Pharaonic times, by the late 20th century decreasing demand had led to the craft's near disappearance. Life in the farming village of Tunis in the verdant Fayoum oasis took a dramatic turn in the 1980s when Swiss-born potter Evelyne Porret made the village her home. Together with her husband Michel Pastore, she opened the Fayoum Pottery School, inspiring the village children to tap into their creative potential. Today, those students have opened their own workshops, exhibiting true artistic talent and reverence for their mentor whilst keeping the ancient craft alive.

The Maker. Mahmoud Yousef eagerly joined the Fayoum Pottery School at age ten, though his love of clay began earlier when he played on his family's farm, using clay to model the rich wildlife of the oasis. He continues to work with clay today, as stylised animal and vegetal motifs, particularly the jolly donkey, keep springing from his steady hand.