Real Gold 9x6 Regina Moorish Head, Handmade in Italy

Bring home a stunning Schittone Moorish Head, handmade and painted in Italy and known as a Teste di Moro. Measuring 9 x 6, this Regina piece is accented with 24-karat gold and can be used as a planter, vase, or striking work of art. Though this style has been famous since the 11th century, it has also been newly popularized by the hit HBO show The White Lotus, which prominently features the Teste di Moro.

Legend of the Moorish Head

The legend of the Moorish head dates back to the 11th century, during the Moorish domination of Sicily, and as in most legends, it is once again Cupid's fault, or perhaps his credit.

One day, a beautiful and honorable young girl living in the Kalsa, the Arabic district of Palermo, was tending the plants and flowers on her balcony, as she often did. Suddenly, a Moor merchant passing by saw the beautiful girl and fell in love with her, and she immediately returned his love. She later discovered that he already had a wife and children waiting for him in his native land. She became wild with jealousy, and one night, while he was sleeping, she thought of a way to make him stay with her forever: she cut off his head and used it as a vase to grow her beautiful basil plant.

People passing by her balcony admired the flourishing basil and became jealous of how beautifully her plants bloomed, so they commissioned the potters of Palermo to create colorful clay head pots, hoping to capture the same magic green thumb.

About Biordi Art Imports

Biordi Art Imports has been sharing Italian artistry from San Francisco's North Beach since 1946, offering handcrafted ceramics, home decor, and heirloom-quality pieces from Italy's finest artisans. Learn more at biordi.com.

Conditions & Restrictions

• Item is brand new.
• Can be delivered to a San Francisco address.
• Any small imperfections such as differences in color, shape, diameter, or small bubbles that form inside do not constitute a defect, but testify that it is actually an artisanal product.