The Sicilian Moor's Head
by
Matt Bird
The Moor’s Head, also known in Italian as Teste di Moro, is one of Sicily’s most iconic symbols. Made of ceramics in the shape of a human head, they are often intricately designed and brightly coloured.
The Legend
The Moor’s Head tells the story of passion, betrayal, jealousy and revenge.
The legend was set during the Arab rule of Sicily in the 11th century.
A beautiful Sicilian woman lived in Kalsa, the Arab quarter in Palermo, who spent her days tending the plants on her balcony.
A Moor - an Arab man - and the woman fell in love. After a brief romance, the woman discovers that the Moor has a wife and family waiting for him in his homeland.
Consumed by jealousy and betrayal, she killed the Moor in a fit of rage.
She used his severed head on her balcony, in which she planted a bud of basil, which she watered with her tears.
The basil thrived, attracting the attention of her neighbours, who began crafting ceramic pots in the shape of human heads to mimic her planter.
The Other Legend
According to another story, the Moor’s Heads represent the impossible love of a young couple.
The girl was Sicilian and had noble origins, while her lover was a young Arab. When their love affair was discovered, her family cruelly punished them both by beheading them.
Their heads were then turned into vases and hung as warnings on a balcony.
The Colours
Moor Heads are traditionally very colourful; however, some modern versions of the Moor's Head are created in more muted colours.
The heads are often created in pairs, traditionally the man wearing an Arab turban and the woman a royal crown; however, creativity has taken designs far beyond that.
They can be displayed on balconies, terraces, gardens and homes. Sometimes, they are purely decorative, and sometimes, they are used as planters.
The Meaning
The Moor’s Head has layers of meaning:
- Love and betrayal: reflects the legend of the Moor and the beautiful Sicilian woman.
Fertility and abundance: The lush basil, or whatever plant, growing from the planter, symbolises life, prosperity and care.
- Fusion of cultures: it blends Sicilian and Arab cultures, reflecting Sicily’s diverse history and influences.
The Ceramics
The Moor’s Head can be purchased all over Sicily; however, like anything made of ceramics, the place to go is, the Sicilian capital of ceramics, Caltagirone.
The heads are much more than decorative ceramics. They encapsulate Sicily’s complex history, multicultural identity, storytelling and modern cultural meaning.
Matt's Noto
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