Arabian Sicily

Arabs arrived in Sicily in the X century.

Their conquest have influenced island inhabitants lives in many ways.

Buildings, life styles, languagge, every part of the island culture has developed with the contribution of the Arabs.

One of the most important influences, for example, is sicilian cuisine with the introduction of citrus fruits, cuscus, water ice, that is the progenitor of sicilian Granita.

The capital was transfered from Syracuse to Palermo, the largest city of Sicily with its 300.000 inhabitants.

They modified the scenery with irrigation works. Many palaces were built, and the cities were embellished with gardens and fountains.

All the attestation of Arabs dominance are today disappearanced, because the subsequent Norman dominance, that modified the arabian buildings

The only things today visible are some decorative elements, the irregular outline of the street of Palermo.
Other is visible in the decoration of Monreale’s Dome, the Cappella Palatina and Zisa palaces of Palermo.

Languagge
The sicilian surnames recall the arabian languagge, but more evident are the name of many villages such as Alì, Alì marina, Alcamo, Alcara, Alcantara, Alimena, Favara (Fahara), Marsala (Marsh-Allah), maybe meaning Hallah seaport.

The names of two quarters come from arabian languagge: Zisa (Palermo) and Zia Lisa (Catania)

The name of Palermo come from the ancient word Panormus, meaning a city consisting in a great seaport. The Arabs changed the name in “Balarmuh”.

Also the word “Mafia” come from the arabian languagge. It is formed by two parts: M-afia.
“Afia” means strenght, abuse, arrogant, while “M” means deprivation.
This demonstrate that in its origin the word “Mafia” had a positive meaning.
In fact, in their origin, the Mafia organization was totally committed to defend the interests of Sicily against the various foreign dominances representing the official government.
Of course the situation changed during the years, and Mafia today represents the “social cancer” of sicilian people, that forbid to every honest people to live own life.

Religion
Arabs were tolerant about religion of Sicilians, in fact sicilian could professed their religion, but not publically . However this tolerance have had its price, in fact sicilians had to pay a tax to Arabs for this privilege

Agriculture
Arabs introduced a new agriculture system: citrus fruit, rice, cotton, sugar cane, pistachio, aubergine, melon. The most important thing was the introduction of new irrigation system.

Unfortunately today nothing of Arabs buildings is remained, because the other conquerors used this things and changed them. For example, the Norman Palace in Palermo originally was an Arabs construction, but the Normans eatched their sign.