The Head of Moro is a characteristic feature and Iconic symbol of the Sicilian tradition. It is a hand-crafted pottery vase used as an ornament depicting the face of an Arab and sometimes a handsome young woman. Piscitello Ceramics revisits this traditional hand-crafted object with a neautral white colour and an ornamental crown of fig leaves. This set has been remamed the ''King and the Queen collection''
An ancient legend tells that around the year 1100, during the period of the Arab domination in Sicily, there lived "a beautiful pink-like girl with peach flowers at the peak of bloom and a couple of Eyes that seemed to mirror the beautiful Gulf of Palermo. " One day a young Moro or Arab passed by, and as soon as he saw her, he immediately fell in love and decided to seduce her at all costs. So he went into the girl's house and immediately declared his infinite love. The girl, so appalled, returned the love to the young Moro, but soon her happiness vanished as soon as she became aware that her beloved would soon leave her to return to the Middle East, where he had a wife with two sons. So the girl waited the night and as soon as the Moro fell asleep she killed him and then cut off his head. From the head of the Moro he made a jar where he planted the basil and put it in a beautiful display on the balcony. The Moro, in this way, could no longer leave & would be with her forever. Meanwhile the basil grew lively and rapresented the envy of all the inhabitants of the neighborhood who, later on, began to craft the Earth-shaped pots of the Head of Moro.
Still today in the Sicilian balconies you can admire Testa di Moro often called also "Testa di Turco".
Set of Moro Heads: The King and the Queen
Available in different sizes.
Please ask our team at info@antoninopiscitelloceramiche.com for the most suitable for you.