Pair of Moor's Heads in Caltagirone Ceramic 14cm

Pair of Sicilian Moorish Heads in Caltagirone Ceramic, entirely handcrafted and decorated by master artisans from Sicily. Height 14 cm. The Moorish heads depict a man and a woman, protagonists of a legend that has enchanted admirers of history and Sicilian culture for almost a thousand years. The legend tells of a beautiful maiden, who lived in the early 1100s AD, dedicated to caring for her plants on the balcony of her house in Palermo, in the Kalsa district. She fell madly in love with a Moorish soldier, who was also swept away by passion for the beautiful woman. According to one version of the legend, the girl was deceived by the soldier: he was actually married and had children, and was ready to abandon her to return to his homeland. The discovery of this betrayal led the maiden to kill her lover in his sleep, decapitate him, and use his head as a pot for basil, which she then prominently displayed on her house balcony. Still according to the tragic legend, the basil was so luxuriant that it aroused the envy of all the neighbors, who began to commission artisans to create head-shaped pots, which are today's Moorish heads (also called Turkish Heads by some), a symbol of passion and love that must not be betrayed. Colors and shades may differ slightly from the photo. As these are 100% handcrafted products, any imperfections are part of the manufacturing process and attest to the originality of the products.