Congratulations — you are now the owner of a Girih mosaic set!

The Girih mosaic is a sophisticated system of ornamentation where mathematics, geometry, and culture intertwine. For centuries, the geometric patterns characteristic of Islamic architecture have adorned building facades, mosque domes, and minarets. Understanding how they were built brings you closer to the mindset of medieval craftsmen — and to the ingenious ways they solved complex challenges. Our Girih set offers you the chance to connect with this art form: to create your own pattern without complicated calculations, using simple principles. Below, we’ll explain how — and show real examples of ornaments from architectural monuments.

What’s inside your set?
The set consists of six basic tiles used to form patterns with local five-fold symmetry.

All tile edges are identical, allowing the pieces to be connected in any configuration. The lines within the tiles form stars and patterns that flow into one another, creating a harmonious composition. The joining principles are so universal that you can design a unique pattern simply by experimenting with the pieces.

Create your own Girih
Start by finding all six types of tiles. Place them edge to edge so that each side aligns with another. Use the rule: from the midpoint of every edge, two rays extend, forming a continuous pattern. Soon, you’ll notice your design coming to life, evolving into a unique mosaic.

This exercise not only reveals the logic of ancient masters, but also immerses you in their creative process. You become part of a tradition that unites mathematics, art, and architecture.

Girih is living art — accessible to everyone. With just six tiles and a few simple principles, you can both understand the logic of historic patterns and create something entirely your own. That is the magic of Girih: its endless ability to inspire and amaze.

The History of Girih
Girih emerged as a style in the 9th century and, by the 11th century, had reached remarkable mathematical precision and complexity. Its key feature was the use of an underlying grid — a plane filled with repeating shapes such as triangles, squares, hexagons, and stars.

These simple elements became the foundation for intricate patterns, striking in their variety and symmetry.

Over time, the designs grew more complex, and pentagonal shapes began to appear in Girih. However, regular pentagons cannot tile a plane without gaps or overlaps. The craftsmen found solutions: they used auxiliary shapes to fill the spaces, or they altered the form of the pentagons. These experiments marked the beginning of new methods that remain relevant to this day.

To better understand the structure of these ornaments, we turned to Andrey Ivanovich Schetnikov, a specialist in the history of science and ornamental structures. His article sheds light on the sophisticated and elegant patterns that adorn the architectural monuments of the East.

Modern Research
In the 20th century, Western scholars such as Roger Penrose studied aperiodic tilings — patterns that never repeat. Penrose demonstrated that it is possible to create such patterns using only two distinct tiles. This discovery revealed an unexpected similarity to Girih.

In 2007, researcher Peter J. Lu, during a visit to Uzbekistan, found that the designs of local ornaments were also based on just a few elements. In this way, medieval craftsmen had been applying principles that allowed for the creation of infinite pattern variety long before modern scientists described them.