Moroccan Moorish Style Doorway Arch

Seventeenth-century carving on top, twentieth-century pillars below. A fair division of labor.

This Moorish style doorway arch comes from Fez, Morocco, in North Africa. The arch dates to the 17th century and the pillars to the 20th. It is carved and painted cypress wood. Fez has long been known for intricate geometric woodwork. A notched arch steps inward beneath a dense rectangular panel, with traces of paint among its small patterns. Below, tall square pillars carry low-relief interlace from top to bottom. It stands 93 inches high and 51 long.

One walks through a little more carefully than one might otherwise.