Tools & utensils
The Tass: Moroccan Water Jug and Handwashing Set
At a traditional Moroccan table, food is often shared from a communal dish and eaten with the right hand, so the meal begins and ends with a small ceremony of cleanliness. A host or child carries a jug and basin — the tass and its ewer — and pours scented water over each guest's hands. It is hospitality and hygiene in one graceful gesture, and the set is a beautiful object in its own right.
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- Tools & utensils
- Updated
- 19 July 2026
At a glance
- The set is an ewer (jug) and a basin, used to pour water over guests' hands at the table.
- It matters because meals are shared and eaten by hand from a communal dish.
- Brass and silver-plate are traditional; some basins have a pierced lid to hide used water.
- Even at a modern table it makes a gracious, practical welcome before eating.
The ritual and why it exists
Moroccan meals are communal: a tagine or platter of couscous is set in the middle and everyone eats from their section with bread and the right hand. Clean hands are therefore essential, and the tass ritual provides them with ceremony rather than a trip to the sink. The host pours warm, sometimes orange-blossom-scented water from the ewer over each guest's hands, caught in the basin below, and offers a towel. The same happens after the meal.
It is a small act that carries real meaning: attention to the guest, care over shared food, and a sense of occasion. Many basins have a raised, pierced inner lid so the used water drops out of sight, keeping the presentation clean throughout the meal.
The pieces and materials
A tass set is simple in form and often lavish in decoration.
- Ewer: a tall jug with a spout and handle, holding the pouring water.
- Basin: a wide bowl to catch the water, often with a pierced lid to hide it.
- Brass: the traditional metal, warm-toned and engraved; needs polishing.
- Silver-plate: more formal and ornate, for a dressed table.
- Scented water: plain warm water, or perfumed with orange-blossom for special meals.
Using it today, and care
You do not need a grand occasion to use a tass set. Offering guests a hand-rinse before a Moroccan meal, especially one eaten with bread from a shared tagine, is a warm and practical touch, and a scented pour turns a simple dinner into something memorable. Keep a soft towel ready, and warm the water lightly for comfort.
Care follows the metal: rinse and dry after use, polish brass and silver-plate occasionally, and store dry to prevent tarnish and water spots. Pair the ritual with the shared vessels it serves, such as a serving tagine and a bread basket, and complete the hospitality with a tea set afterwards.
Frequently asked questions
What is a tass in Morocco?
A tass is the basin, paired with an ewer or jug, used in the Moroccan handwashing ritual. Before and after a shared meal, a host pours water over each guest's hands from the jug, caught in the basin below, offering cleanliness and hospitality with ceremony.
Why do Moroccans wash hands at the table?
Because meals are traditionally shared from a communal dish and eaten with bread and the right hand, so clean hands are essential. Pouring water over guests' hands from an ornate jug and basin turns that necessity into a gracious act of hospitality before and after eating.
What is the Moroccan water jug made of?
Traditionally brass, warm-toned and often beautifully engraved, or silver-plate for a more formal table. Both need occasional polishing and careful drying to prevent tarnish. The set comprises a spouted ewer for pouring and a wide basin, often with a pierced lid to hide the used water.
Is the handwashing set still used today?
Yes, especially for traditional meals eaten by hand from a shared dish, at celebrations, and when hosting guests. Even at a modern table, offering a scented hand-rinse before a Moroccan meal is a warm, practical touch that many households keep alive.