Arabic Influence in Sicily

Catedrale

Granita

Cassata

Cappella Pallatina Palermo

San Giovanni

The Arabs occupied Sicily for two centuries (827-1092) and left a deep impact on all aspects of Sicilian culture.  Most people have heard of Marsala; the wine name after the city in western Sicily.  But most don't know "Marsala" means "port of allah" in arabic.  Traveling about Sicily one can see all sorts of Arab artifacts from food to architechure.  Durum wheat was used to make the Arabic dish, "Pasta cu i sardi" long before Marco Polo brought it back from the Orient in the 13th century.  Arancini (rice balls), granite (italian ices), and cassata (ricotta filled cakes) were Arabic in origin.  Arabic tuna fishing, salt and metal mining methods are still used today in Sicily. Even the gesture of turning the finger in the cheek indicating tastiness was Muslim. The examples are endless.


Marsala salt

What's most interesting to me is how the Arab culture was embraced by their Norman conquerers in 1092.  Rather than destroying traces of the Arabic artifacs, King Roger II promoted the arts and sciences by encorporating Arabic works in medicine, astronomy, and mathematics (Algebra).  He developed an enlightened court long before the "Age of Enlightenment" by employing Arabic scholars. The Sicilian School of Poetry, a movement that spread north through the European continent was inspired by Arabic poetry.


Pasta cu sardi
 

 The Catedrale in Palermo, the main church in Sicily, has an insignia on its door which states "Praise Be To Allah".  ....missed by church officials for centuries.



Praise Be To Allah