Two-faced Janus on a Sphere, Moor's head with two faces in fine Caltagirone ceramic.

Entirely shaped and meticulously decorated by hand by our master craftsmen.

Measurements: Height 24 cm, Width 11 cm and depth 13 cm and hole 5 cm (approximately).

Fire-branded Caltagirone signature and warranty certificate. It will tastefully and elegantly decorate a corner of your home, garden, or even your shop, perhaps with a plant or flowers inside.

Our Moor's heads come with an elegant parchment that tells their legend.

Since these are handcrafted items, entirely made and decorated by hand, any small imperfections are a sign of the product's originality.

THE LEGEND OF THE MOOR'S HEADS

According to legend, around the year 1000, at the height of Moorish rule in Sicily, in the Arab quarter of Palermo, "Al Hàlisah" (meaning the pure or chosen one), now called Kalsa, a beautiful young woman lived her days in sweet yet solitary tranquility, dedicating her attentions to the loving care of the plants on her balcony. From the heights of her flower-filled balcony, she was one day noticed by a young man, a Moor. Overcome by a violent passion for her, the young Moor did not hesitate to declare his love for her. Yet the young man, who had no qualms about abandoning himself to the sweetest effusions of love, was hiding a burdensome secret: his wife and children awaited him in the East, the land to which he was now to return.

Wounded in her pride and betrayed by the man she believed to be her true love, the girl plotted her revenge. So that night, while her Moor slept helplessly, she killed him and cut off his head so that her beloved would not only never return to that family, but would remain with her forever.

She decided that the face of that young man, dear to her, would remain by her side forever, and she created a vase-like object with his head, placing inside it a shoot of basil, a plant associated with divine symbolism and long associated with sacredness. She then placed the head on her balcony, dedicating herself every day to tending the basil that grew within it. Every day, the young woman's tears watered the regal plant, which prospered, becoming ever more lush and flourishing. The neighbors, intoxicated by the scent of basil and enviously watching the plant vigorously maturing in that unique Moor's Head-shaped vase, had terracotta vases made that mimicked the one the young girl had lovingly tended.

Today, every Moor's Head produced bears a crown, an ever-present element designed to evoke the regal plant that originally adorned the head of the young Moor, the protagonist of the sad story.

IF YOU PREFER GIFT WRAPPING, JUST LET US KNOW WHEN ORDERING.

ALL OUR CERAMICS BEAR THE SIGNATURE IN FIRE.

ACCOMPANIED BY AN ELEGANT PARCHMENT WITH THE LEGEND OF THESE VASES.

NB : Since these are entirely handmade artisanal items, measurements may vary by 1 or 2 cm from those indicated. Oven temperature or seasonal production may also slightly affect subtle color tones and small details in the applications, which are natural and obvious features of the artisanal process. Each piece is unique!