During the times of seafaring adventures, when the world was vastly unexplored and cultures were scattered far apart, the ancient Greeks spent their days spinning yarns about unbelievable monsters, magical beings, and mythical creatures.

Even to this day, walking through the streets of Sicily still transports tourists back to the times of toga-wearing philosophers, golden-haired damsels, and salty sailors. The landscape is blanketed with beautiful citrus orchards and rows upon rows of vineyards. The architecture is completely unique, with bustling piazzas that sprout winding alley-like streets which lead to pure white sandy beaches with crystal clear waters. With all this serene beauty to breathe in, Sicily is shrouded in a veil of charm and mystery, and embroidered on that veil is the Sicilian Medusa, otherwise known as Trinacria.

Prominently displayed at the center of the Sicilian flag, the Sicilian Medusa holds much meaning to the inhabitants of this province. The superstitions behind Trinacria were fueled by the fears of the Sicilians and what they held dear. The belief was that by adorning a home’s door with the symbol of Medusa, the inhabitants of these homes would be protected from evildoers and enemies who might be aiming to conspire against you. The belief was that they’d be turned to stone before any harm would come to the dwellers of the protected home.

The design of the Sicilian Medusa stayed true to the original image of the Greek mythological Medusa with her snakes for hair, but the locals also added stalks of wheat and adorned her with ears of corn. The reason for this change was because this region was most known for its wheat production. Romans believed that stalks of wheat also symbolize fertility and prosperity, and by adding this along with her traditional design, would also bring good fortune to their lands. Aside from this change, Trinacria also has three notable legs, believed to represent the three Sicilian capes, namely: Peloro, Lilibeo, and Passero.

The Trinacria is also part of the flags of the Isle of Man, Celtiberian Spain, Macedonia and Crete, which binds the beliefs and cultures of these regions and isles in the intrigue of ancient folklore. The symbol was further used to as the coat of arms of noble families, especially notable of which was the ancient king of Sicily himself, Joachim Murat.

As a final point to take note of, during the Hellenistic period, before the name of Sicily came to be, this realm was known as Trinacria.