Productive Absence Arab Traces in Sicily as Latent Heritage

Abstract

This article examines the latent presence of Arab architectural heritage in Sicily, focusing on the paradox of a cultural legacy that remains historically relevant and culturally pervasive, despite the scarcity of surviving structures from the Arab-Islamic period. Through the 
concept of latency, the study explores how traces of Arab urban morphologies, building typologies, construction and environmental knowledge, and decorative motifs continue to inform Sicilian cultural identity and modern architectural design. These various facets exist in a complex interplay of concealing and revealing, disappearing and resurfacing throughout Sicilian history. By analyzing different examples from the 20th 
century, this article argues that Arab heritage in Sicily persists as a form of productive absence – an invisible yet active cultural layer shaping contemporary understandings of Mediterranean architectural history.