30cm Artistic Sicilian Ceramic Moorish Heads from Caltagirone

Moorish heads in Caltagirone artistic ceramic with a unique and captivating design. These anthropomorphic heads are inspired by and reinterpret the famous Moorish heads. Unique, collectible pieces.

Height 30 cm.

The Moorish heads depict a man and a woman, protagonists of a legend that has enchanted admirers of Sicilian history and culture for nearly a thousand years. The legend tells of a young woman, who lived in the early 12th century AD. She was beautiful and devoted to tending her plants on the balcony of her home in Palermo's Kalsa district. She fell madly in love with a Moorish soldier, who was also swept away by his passion for the beautiful woman. According to one version of the legend, the girl was deceived by the soldier: in reality, he was married with children and ready to abandon her to return to his homeland. Discovering this tradition drove the girl to kill her lover in his sleep, decapitating him, and using his head as a basil planter , which she then displayed prominently on her balcony. According to the tragic legend, basil was so vigorous that it aroused the envy of all the neighbors, who began to have artisans make vases in the shape of heads , that is, the current Moor's heads (also called by some Turks' Heads), a symbol of passion and love that must not be betrayed.         

According to another version of the legend, the two lovers were both killed and beheaded by her family, who disapproved of their love affair, and their texts were put on display as a warning against illicit unions. From this story, the depiction of paired Moorish heads is a symbol of passion and love that transcends time.    

Fired at 950°. Fire-stamped signature and guarantee certificate.

Colors and shades may differ slightly from the photo. As these are 100% handcrafted products, any imperfections are part of the manufacturing process and demonstrate their authenticity.