Unique to Marrakech, traditional tadelakt is made with the limestone of the Marrakech Plateau. The craft of tadelakt—which is the Arabic word for "rub" or "massage"—consists of mixing lime plaster with olive soap, to create a unique and soft texture. Most often used for coating the walls and baths of hammams and palaces, it is also used in Moroccan pottery and ceramics.
Found within the Atlas Mountains are small cylindrical pits where chunks of limestone are set to bake. Similar to the ancient plastering techniques of the Romans centuries ago, the baked limestone turns into a light powder, and is later mixed with water and olive soap to create the glossy and waterproof finish. Read Less