If you’ve been to Sicily or read some articles about it, you might notice the heads of a man and a woman (“Teste di Moro”), made from ceramics and used as vases. But do you know what’s their history? How they became popular. There are several legends about that, but here are the most popular ones for you.
The legend says, that at a time, when there was a Moor domination in Sicily, there was a young, beautiful and shy girl living in an Arab quarter. One day she met a Moor and they both fell in love. But some of time ago the girl was noticed that the Moor has a family (a wife and children) in the East and was going to return to them. She was jealous and once the Moor fell asleep, she killed him, cut his head off and used it as a vase on her balcony. She planted basil seeds there (“basilikos” means King’s plants in Greek) and watered it with tears. The plant was growing fast and caused her neighbor’s envy, who immediately ordered ceramic vases with the same features as Moor’s head.
According to another story, the Moor’s heads represent the impossible love of a young couple. The Sicilian girl with noble origins fell in love with a young Arab. When people found out about their secret relationship, the girl’s family cruelly punished them both by killing and beheading them. After that their heads were turned into vases and hang as a warning on a balcony. And since then the ceramic heads are always made in pairs, in memory of young couple who murdered together.
Now you know what’s behind this beautiful piece of decorations. Would you like to have one at your balcony?
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