I'm a direct descendant of the Normans, and I have blue-green eyes and dark blonde hair...and have been told while living in Italy that I look like I"m of Mediterranean descent...obviously I have a lot going on in the gene pool here and that's just on one side of the family!! "cicero" <cicero@nomail.it> wrote in message news:<%0sC8.32300$US3.722701@twister1.libero.it>... > Ciao, > > my father was pugliese (Puglia, near Calabria and Sicilia, in south italy) > and he was tall, with blond hairs and blue eyes. Blonds and blue eyes are > everywhere in italy. Yes, in south italy there are less than in northern > italy, and in northern italy are less then in Norway. There is a different > distribution, but light eyes are everywhere. > You know sicily was occupied by arabs and spanish , but also by skandinavian > people : the Normans > > England was not the only land the Normans vanquished, nor was it the only > realm they commanded with profound capacity. Much less known than the > adventure of 1066 is their earlier subjugation and rule of Sicily and > southern Italy. Their uncommonly liberal government, which allowed for > religious freedom and cultural expression, made their court the most > enlightened of Europe. The artistic creations from this age are splendid > indeed, attested by the Cathedrals at Cefalù and Palermo, the Norman Palace > in Palermo, and the marvelous Abbey of Monreale. The occasional blonde among > the dark Sicilian population is physical proof of the island's Norman > legacy. > > I can find something about Normans and south italy on the web : > http://www.storiaonline.org/normanni/en.htm > > Probably you are a mix like every italian :) > > ciao > cicero > > > > Ace wrote: > > Hi, > > > > I know this might be obvious, but being Italian and having grown up, > > and lived most of my life outside of an Italian or Sicilian community, > > I have to ask. > > > > I know i'm not 100% Sicilian, but I am mainly, and I have these > > unusual blue-green eyes, that i've seen on very, very few people. > > Maybe a few Brazilians or Israelis might have had similar ones, but > > they weren't really the same. > > > > What I want to know, is - the trait, the eye color - common for > > Sicilians? > > > > We all know the Godfather stereotypes, all deep brown eyes (which most > > of my siblings do carry) but I just want to know, since its been a > > question my whole life. > > > > Thanks.