Around 900, when Catania was part of the emirate of Sicily, it was known in Arabic as "Balad al-fīl" () and "Madīnat al-fīl" (), respectively meaning "the Village (or Country) of the Elephant" and "the City of the Elephant". The Elephant is the lava sculpture over the fountain in Piazza Duomo: most likely a prehistoric sculpture that was reforged during the Byzantine Era, it appears to be a talisman that was reputedly powerful enough to protect the city from enemies and to keep away misfortune, plagues, or natural calamities. Another Arab toponym was "Qaṭāniyyah" (), allegedly from the Arabic word for the "leguminous plants". Pulses like lentils, beans, peas, broad beans, and lupins were chiefly cultivated in the plains around the city well before the arrival of Aghlabids. Afterwards, many Arabic agronomists developed these crops and the citrus orchards in the area around the city.