We arrived in Syracuse in the late afternoon, with the intention of going to bed early after a busy day (11 thousand steps!!).
It is one after midnight and it is impossible to sleep, because in the square there is a party that starts some celebrations of the weekend.
Terrible noise. So I sit down at the computer!
Do you like legends? You don't?
Then listen to it:
This story is a bit macabre, but it appeals to the imagination!
TESTE DI MORO (Moor's Heads)
Everywhere in Sicily you can find ceramic vases or pots in the shape of a Moor head, because they are one of the symbols of the island. People "decorate balconies, terraces and the interiors of Sicilian houses.
There is a legend behind these ceramic products ...
"During the Arab domination of Sicily (11th century), a beautiful young girl lived in the district of Palermo. She spent her days at home caring for the plants that adorned her balcony. It was the only way she could see the world outside her home, which, despite its wealth and majesty, seemed like a golden prison to her.
One day, a young Moor passing by saw the girl and fell in love with her at first sight. Overcome by violent passion, he did not hesitate to knock at her house to confess his love.
The girl, surprised and infatuated with this bold and intense feeling, returned her love for the young man and let him into the house.
However, the young Moor, despite the fact that he devoted himself to the passions of a beautiful girl, had a wife and children in the East, to whom he was to return soon. When he revealed the truth to the girl, the embittered, deathly jealous and furious began to think about revenge.
On the last night they spent together, the Moor fell into a deep sleep in her arms, oblivious to his fate.
The girl murdered him, then cut off his head and turned it into ... a pot in which she sowed basil. She put it on the balcony so that the man would stay with her forever.
The girl watered the basil with her tears every day, making the plant grow wonderfully, more and more flowery and lush. The neighbors, looking enviously at the plant that had apparently grown, exuding an intense fragrance in this bizarre head-shaped vase, ordered such terracotta pots.
The woman chose basil because it represents the herb of the rulers. For this reason, today each Testa di Moro wears a crown, the purpose of which is to re-represent the royal plant that originally adorned the head of this unfortunate man.
To this day, on Sicilian balconies, you can admire the beautiful heads of the Moors, Teste di Moro, also known as "Turkish heads".
