Walking through the streets of Sicily, it’s easy to be captivated by the majestic Moorish heads, also known in Sicilian as 'Graste,' which have adorned and colored the balconies of this magnificent land for centuries. Born from a millennia-old tradition, these prestigious works of art with their refined craftsmanship are not the result of artistic imagination, but rather, they all find a common origin in an ancient legend: the protagonists of this touching story are a young Moor and a beautiful Sicilian girl.
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The Moor and the Vengeful Maiden

According to legend, around the year 1000, at the height of the Moorish domination in Sicily, in the Arab quarter of Palermo 'Al Hàlisah' (which means the pure or the chosen ones), now called Kalsa, a beautiful young woman lived her days in sweet and solitary peace, devoting her attention to the loving care of the plants on her balcony. From the heights of her flower-filled balcony, one day, she was noticed by a young Moor. Overcome with a violent passion for her, the young Moor did not hesitate for a moment to declare his love.


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The young woman, struck by the promise of love she had received, embraced and passionately returned the feelings of the bold suitor. Unfortunately, the handsome Moorish man already had a wife and children waiting for him in the East, in the land to which he was bound to return. So, during the night, as he fell into a deep sleep, unaware of his fate, she seized the moment and struck him down. The dark-haired man who had loved her and was about to leave would never abandon her again.

She also decided that the face of that young man, so dear to her, should remain by her side forever. Without hesitation, she cut off the young man's head, turning it into an object resembling a vase, and placed a basil sprout inside it, an aromatic herb reserved for royalty at the time, to honor her beloved. The young woman's life was then devoted to keeping the basil lush, watering it every day with her bitter tears.
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The Headless Lovers

According to another version of the legend, the Sicilian girl was of noble origin and had a secret love affair with a young, humble Arab. This impossible love was soon discovered by the girl's family, who deemed it so dishonorable that they punished it by decapitating both young lovers.

The family also decided to publicly display their heads (turned into vases for the occasion) on the balcony of their home, so no one would dare think that the family's shame had not been cleansed. The heads, placed in full view of passersby, would also serve as an effective warning against any other improper passions.

For this reason, the Moorish heads were made in pairs, in memory and honor of the two murdered lovers.
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