The origin of the Moor's Heads
a story between jealousy and passion
The Moor's Heads
are now a symbol for Sicily, but they have a very ancient and important
history behind them. A legend made of passion and jealousy between two
lovers.
Any Sicilian, walking through the streets of their city or country, will
have come across at least once in their life in
the Moor's Heads , that is, those hand-painted
ornamental ceramic vases that depict the face of a man and a woman.
These vases, emblem of Sicilian culture and art, are not born from a
surprising creative flair on the part of Sicilian artisans, but are the
result of a legend that has spread over the centuries. Behind
the Moor's Heads, also known in Sicilian as
Graste, hides a love story made of passion, betrayal, jealousy
and resulted in revenge.
The Moor's heads: history
It is said that around the year 1000, during the domination of the Moors
in Sicily, in the Arab quarter Kalsa (in the heart of Palermo)
lived a beautiful girl who spent her days dedicating herself to taking
care of her plants. One day, from the top of her luxuriant balcony, she
was noticed by a Moor who was passing by that part of her.
This, as soon as he saw her, immediately fell in love with her and did
not hesitate for a moment to declare his love for her. The girl, struck
by this declaration, returned the Moor's sentiment with passion, but
their story, which began with such ardor, was destined for a short life.
Soon the young woman discovered that her loved one had to return to the
East where his wife and children were waiting for him.
In the middle of the night, feeling betrayed and humiliated, the girl
abandoned herself to a moment of jealousy and fatal anger by killing her
Moro while she was sleeping. Later she cut off the head and created a
sort of vase in which she planted a basil sprout inside which she took
care of day by day. Thanks to its intoxicating scent, the basil plant,
considered the herb of kings (from the Greek Basilikos), caught
the envy of the girl's neighbors who wasted no time in making terracotta
pots with the same features as
the Moor's Head.
The legend of the Moor's Heads today
Today the Moro heads are almost always reproduced in pairs. Both vases, which hold a crown and a turban on their heads that recall the East, are richly adorned with jewels, flowers and citrus fruits. Their charm also struck the Dolce & Gabbana designers who in 2014 made them the protagonists of a surprising collection.
