Marble frieze of a Saracen’s head…
Italy, probably Florence, c. 1500
It has been suggested that this impressively characterised head in medallic profile of a so called black man wearing a bandana refers to the heraldic device of the Pucci family…
The Pucci family has been a prominent noble family in Florence over the course of many centuries…
Their former surname seems to have been Saracini (from “Saracen” or “Moor”)
The surname Saracini has Italian origins and is relatively uncommon…
It is derived from the Italian word "saraceno," meaning Saracen…
The term Saracen historically referred to the Muslims or Moors who inhabited the region of the Mediterranean during the Middle Ages…
The surname Saracini likely originated as a nickname or descriptive name for someone with features or characteristics associated with Saracen or Moorish people…
It is not uncommon for surnames to be derived from occupational, ethnic, or physical traits…
In heraldry, a head or bust of a person can indeed be used on a coat of arms to symbolize the founder or a significant individual associated with the family…
Including a portrait or bust on a coat of arms serves as a personal representation of the individual being honored or remembered…
It is a way to pay tribute to their status, achievements, or lineage within the family…
The portrait may depict the founder or an ancestor who played a significant role in the family's history, such as a renowned leader, warrior, or monarch…
“The traces of our black ancestry are visibly existent in a hundred surnames” — David MacRitchie
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