Is Sicilian flag, one of the oldest in the entire world, the material representation of its inhabitants feelings? Rather than snakes for hair, the Versace logo depicts Medusa at a time when her golden hair overflowed. A long time ago, three nymphs danced all over the world. Of course, we do hope that youll go for one of the stunning Sicilian pottery pieces that are handmade for you by local artisans. The current flag has 50 white stars on a blue background and 13 stripes, alternating between red and white. "The Trinacria: History and Mythology | The Symbol of the Hellenic Nature of Sicily | Article by Ninni Radicini." - Sicilian Food Culture, Modica Chocolate: from Aztecs to Sicily! A typical Archaic Medusa head on a 6th century BC akroterion, or end-tile from the Temple of Athena in Miletus/Miletos in Ionia (modern Turkey), with the grimace, tongue, snake-hair and all. Corleone is an Italian town and comune of roughly 11,158 inhabitants in the Metropolitan City of Palermo, in Sicily. The Sicilian triskeles is shown with the head of Medusa at the center. 2.Flag of Sicily - Wikipedia. The other question that is often asked is the association between the Sicilian flag and the symbol of the Isle of Man. The flag is characterized by the presence of the triskelion (trinacria) in its middle, the (winged) head of Medusa (Gorgon) and three wheat ears. First adopted in 1282 by the Sicilian Vespers, it is currently the official flag of the autonomous Sicilian region. The head refers to Greek mythology, it is said to be Medusa, a gorgon (monstrous creature) with a head of snakes, a beautiful woman seducing men who, upon looking at her, were turned into stone. Looking at the picture of the flag I see what looks like 3 sprigs of wheat coming from the head and hanging between the legs. unfortunately, we do not carry the Trinacria any longer. The flag signifies an entire country, so a lot of consideration went into the flag design that we know today. The colours of the flag, red and yellow, are the colours of Palermo and Corleone (also famous because of the movie the godfather), first two cities in which revolt started. These poetic meanings likely were given after the fact, as the modern Italian flag resulted from the historical merging of regional governments. Historically, Corleone was one of the islands most important agricultural centres. Eventually, the story goes, the boy discovered that Sicily was held up by three columns and one was about to break. In a fit of rage and jealousy, Athena turned Medusa into a hideous monster with serpent hair. They are said to have danced all around the world gathering the best fruit, stones and soil, they then threw all of it into the sea and created Sicily. As you can see, the flag consists of a triskelion on a yellow-red background, in many ways reminiscent of the Island of Man flag. Those promontories are Cape Pelorus,Cape Passero, and Cape Lilibeo. Officially, the Trinacria became the Sicilian flag in 1943, during the World War II. It lies about 100 miles (160 km) northeast of Tunisia (northern Africa). It originates from the Greek three-legged and it obviously refers to the three bent running legs, whose meaning is not at all clear. This fringe is considered honorable enrichment only, and flags with a gold fringe can only be used permanently indoors. Corn is indigenous to the Americas and would not have been known in Roman times nor in 1282. After the end of When World War II, the Italian government recognised Sicily as an autonomous region. Notice that you can often find the term Triscele used as synonymous of Trinacria, an ancient word used for Sicily! Cosa rappresenta il simbolo della Sicilia? Nicola, nicknamed Cola, was a young boy from Messina who loved swimming. The Gorgoneion : It is only in Roman times that the triskeles loses its intrinsic religious significance to become exclusively the geographical symbol of Sicily. Medusa was mainly known for her ability to turn mortal men to stone with one gaze. They are said to have danced all around the world gathering the best fruit, stones and soil, they then threw all of it into the sea and created Sicily. Like Athena's shield, the head of Medusa in the center of the Sicilian Trinacria warns potential attackers. One day they reached a region with a wonderful clear blue sky and they fell in love with the place. The flag's background is bisected diagonally, resulting in a yellow . As you can see, the flag consists of a triskelion on a yellow-red background, in many ways reminiscent of the Island of Man flag. . A triskeles symbol is a figure that has three legs that are displayed in symmetry rotational movement. Is Sicily still Italy? Maybe you recognize the flag too, but most of the Sicilians dont know its history and meaning What is the name of the head with three legs? A few days went by without any news, then the King saw some lentils and his ring return to the surface. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. The symbol is known as Trinacria, a Greek word that means three pointed; it recalls the shape of the island, which resembles a triangle. The flag was used for the first time in 1282 during the Revolution of the Vespers by the Sicilians, wanting to symbolize the unity of Sicily in driving out the Angevins/House of Anjou, the French dynasty that oppressed the Sicilian people. As youll read below, the first tricolor flag used the colors green, white, and red in order to incorporate the flags and uniforms of regional governments. The red and white parts of the flag were borrowed from the official colors of the Milanese flag, and the green is said to have been added to represent the regions military. He actually spent most of his day in the water, so much so that his body changed and he became more and more like a real fish (pesce), diving at great depths without any effort and staying underwater for many hours. In 1296, the quartering of the Swabian and Aragonese arms was changed to the Saint Andrew's cross, with stripes at the top and bottom, and with eagles on the right and left. Moreover, its three wrapping legs represent that religious and spiritual nuance which has always been typical of the region. Thats how he learned that Colapesce had decided to stay under the sea and take on his shoulders the broken column. But the goddess was also known for her help to fight the forces of evil. Notice that you can often find the term Triscele used as synonymous of Trinacria, an ancient word used for Sicily! The coat of arms consisted of four fields: 1 Hauteville family, 2 Manfred's eagle, 3 Trinacria, and 4 Red Bars. Flag of the Voluntary Army for the Independence of Sicilyit (1945-1946), EVIS flag consists of Senyera and the blue canton with Trinacria. the regional Sicilian parliament on 4 January 2000 (the first law of the year decreed the adoption of a "new" flag). Around that time, the last member of the Crovan family, rulers of the Isle of Man, died in 1265 without a legitimate heir. Triskelion is also a common name for the symbol of Sicily. The law states that the Sicilian flag is exposed to the outside of the Sicilian Parliament, Regional Government, Provincial Councils and Municipal Councils, Educational institutions of each levels, and the buildings used as . MIS stopped using it around 1946, but the flag did not disappear. Im thinking to myself theres no way thats corn. triskelion He was born, after all, in Reggio di Calabria in Southern Italy, part of the region once known as Magna Graeca or Great Greece. This symbol is the head of Medusa, surrounded by three ears of wheat and three symmetrical legs (Figure 1). Outside of the US, our corn is called maize. How old is this flag? During the Italian uprising which became the start of the unification process, the Sardinian flag (shown above from 1848) was raised to represent the new country, thereby solidifying the tricolor design again. Time, wheat, ancient charm and mistrust for fate: whats more Sicilian than this mythical mix? Gianni Versaces incarnation of Medusa is based on a more alluring representation of the legendary mortal, where Medusa is suggestive of power, strength and beauty that constitutes a propitious sense of the mythology. All rights reserved. Fatto e deliberato in Palermo li 28 marzo 1848., Learn how and when to remove this template message, Norman conquest of the southern peninsula, "Sicily Flags and Symbols and National Anthem", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Flag_of_Sicily&oldid=1143961756, Articles needing additional references from June 2013, All articles needing additional references, Articles with unsourced statements from February 2020, Pages using infobox flag with unknown parameters, Articles containing Sicilian-language text, Articles containing Italian-language text, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from February 2020, Articles needing the year an event occurred from February 2020, Articles with Italian-language sources (it), Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Divided diagonally from the upper hoist-side corner; the upper triangle is red and the lower triangle is yellow; in the center is the, This page was last edited on 11 March 2023, at 00:11. Youll read that the colors represent hope (green), faith (white), and charity (red); or that the green is for the hills, the white is for the mountains, and the red for the bloody wars for independence. Among these historical shades, the mysterious Triscele stands out: it is a human representation with the mythological head of Gorgon and three (almost) concentric legs. The flag of the (autonomous) region of Sicily (one of the 20 regions of Italy) features a decorated woman's head on a red and yellow background. Le tre gambe rappresentano i tre promontori dell'isola: Peloro (nord-est), Passero (sud) e Lilibeo (ovest), che formano le tre punte di un triangolo. The Triskelion, known in Sicily also as the Trinacria, is the three-legged woman that symbolises Sicily. Perhaps for this very reason it was an ancient custom to place a trinacria behind the door of the house, as a symbol of protection, or to decorate vases, houses and villas with designs representing it as a symbol of good luck. Stattdessen reprsentiert die Medusa die Gttin Athene der antiken griechischen Mythologie, die Schutzgttin der Insel. Thus, there were two "Sicilies" the island kingdom, however, was often called "Sicily beyond the Lighthouse" or "Trinacria", by terms of a treaty between the two states. In the Trinacria, the head of Medusa stands in the centre. Don't worry though: she is not meant to turn the island's inhabitants or the guiltless visitors into stone. Banner of Charles I of Anjou (r. 1266-1282/5). They stopped where nature was most luxuriant and collected lovely stones, juicy pieces of fruit and handfuls of fertile soil. The Italian flag is a tricolor flag of three equally sized vertical pales of green, white and red. Combativeness and courage to fight against the oppressor: that is what has always distinguished Sicilian people since the flag was created, as the symbol of a strength that never decreased. It was at this time referred to as the sign of the Trinacria, Sicily being referred to by its ancient name, Trinacria (having three headlands). After winning the war, the Allies helped Sicily become independent from Italy. The flag of Sicily was first adopted during the huge Sicilian Vespers, The Sicilian Vespers was a successful rebellion on the island of Sicily that broke out at Easter 1282 against the rule of the French-born king Charles I, who had ruled the Kingdom of Sicily since 1266. The banner was lowered, but the black eagle from Swabia on a white background appeared on Sicilian flags for centuries. The emblem was included in the design of the Army Gold Medal awarded to British Army majors and above who had taken a key part in the Battle of Maida (1806). Sicily in the classical Greek period, see History of Greek and Hellenistic Sicily; Name for the Kingdom of Sicily during the 1300s; Name for the emblem of Sicily (the triskeles with the Gorgoneion Medusa), see Triskelion#Sicily. Officially, the Trinacria became the Sicilian flag in 1943, during the World War II. The emblem was included in the design of the Army Gold Medal awarded to British Army majors and above who had taken a key part in the Battle of Maida (1806). What does the three legs in Sicilian flag mean? Ever since, whenever an earthquake shakes the island the Sicilians know that its the poor Colapesce being tired and moving the broken column on his other shoulder. At the same time, it is a reference to the goddess Athena, the protectress of Sicily. Instead, the Medusa represents the Goddess Athena of ancient Greek mythology, the Patron Goddess of the island. The meaning of the Sicily symbol is mainly mythological but some historians have dated it back to being an old religious symbol. Roman period and Late Antiquity Required fields are marked *. The Angevins lost power on the island after the revolt of the Sicilian Vespers in 1282. Versaces superstar image, however, wasnt guided solely by a taste for unconventionality. [13] Separatist movement [ edit] Medusas head is encircled by a ring of Greek keys - decorative patterns based on single lines that twist like a maze another quintessential Versace design motif. Eventually, independentists used a yellow and red flag, with the Trinacria in the centre. The Royal Sicilian Regiment was a light infantry regiment recruited from Sicily that served with the British Army during the Napoleonic wars, from 1806 to its disbandment in 1816. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. - Sicilian Food Culture, The Malocchio - What it meant to an Italian-American Kid | Page 2 - Sicilian Food Culture, 10 things you probably didn't know about Sicily and Sicilians - Sicilian Food Culture. We think youll love our free e-mail newsletter a weekly dose of Italy you didnt know you needed. If you see the surface, youll know I am not coming back. In passato, era consuetudine posizionare una trinacria dietro la porta di casa come simbolo di protezione: la Medusa avrebbe pietrificato chiunque volesse fare del male alla famiglia che viveva al suo interno. A horizontal tricolour of teal, white-edged black and yellow with the red isosceles triangle based on the hoist-side bearing the yellow five-pointed star that bears a Kalashnikov rifle with the bayonet attached to the barrel crossed by a farming mattock superimposed on an open book. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. It made its early appearances in small bunches carried by the noblewomen of Palermo in the 18th century. The color green is at the hoist side. The head refers to Greek mythology, it is said to be Medusa, a gorgon (monstrous creature) with a head of snakes, a beautiful woman seducing men who, upon looking at her, were turned into stone. Translated into English by Daniela Marsala. The flag of Sicily (Sicilian: Bannera d Sicilia; Italian: Bandiera della Sicilia) shows a triskeles symbol (a figure of three legs arranged in rotational symmetry), and at its center a Gorgoneion (depiction of the head of Medusa) and a pair of wings and three wheat ears. The aspect ratio of the Italian flag is 2:3. But it was the deeper symbolism of Medusa that compelled Versace to adopt the figure as the central image of the Versace logo. Apparently from this use, Trinacria came to be re-interpreted as a name for the symbol itself. The origin of this flag dates back to 1282, during the "Sicilian Vesper", the rebellion of Sicilians against Angevins; having a flag was very important because it represented the Sicilian people against the stranger ruler. Low rated: 2. The three legs, another greek symbol, are the three corners of Sicily: cape Peloro (near Messina), cape Passero (near Siracusa) and cape Lilibeo (near Marsala). This time Colapesce hesitated because he sensed that he would not come back. flag of a British crown possession, flown subordinate to the Union Jack, that consists of a red field (background) bearing a central triskelion, or triskele, of three bent legs joined together at a central point. The flag officially became the symbol of Sicily in 1282 after a successful revolt by the Sicilians against Charles the I. This flag, as we know it today, dates back to the 13th century. The word Trinacria means triangle and refers to the shape of the island. Their dance became even more graceful and they decided to throw into the sea everything they had collected around the planet. Hellenic heritage and mythology were among Gianni Versaces muses. Sign up now its free! The origin of the Sicilian flag dates back to 1282, during the Sicilian Vesper, the rebellion of Sicilians againstAngevins. Hospitality, Courses & Italian Culture in Apulia (online & offline), Babilonia Italian courses in Taormina, Sicily, Learn Italian in Genoa and Online - Centro Studi Italiani (Ex Scuola Tricolore). [], [] Who does not love chocolate? The new island had the shape of a triangle, whose three capes were exactly under the feet of the nymphs. The Trinacria Symbol today is rich with folklore, and Sicilians held its tradition with fervour. Il Parlamento decreta: Che da qui innanzi lo stemma della Sicilia sia il segno della Trinacria senza leggenda di sorta. Post date: 17 yesterday. 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