Carnival of Venice

Etymology
From the French carnaval, it is the "time of merrymaking before Lent" and from the Italian carnevale, it means "Shrove Tuesday" or "to remove meat". The Medieval Latin folk meaning is often seen as "flesh, farewell!."

History
Assumedly first held in Venice in the 9th century, with the earliest sound documentation dating back to 1039, Carnival was originally a preparation for the beginning of Lent. The festival lasted up to two months and was filled with jubilation. During the 18th century, the festival began to fade away and fall out of favor due to Venice becoming part of the Austrian Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia. It wasn't until 1979 that the Venetian Carnival was widely celebrated. The festival developed into an opportunity for the common people to release stress and have fun in the town center.

Traditions
The Carnival of Venice has traditionally been a large celebration; full of wine, gambling, food, and dancing, all surrounding spontaneous parades through the center of the town.

Masks
The masks worn by those participating in Carnival were often very ornate and could represent the wearer's profession or trade. For example, the Medico Della Peste, plague doctor mask, was typically worn by those who treated the ill. The mask's long beak allowed for the doctor to maintain a reasonable distance from the patient, and was often accompanied by gloves and a staff to enable easy and distanced movement of the sick. The Bauta mask was also a traditional full face covering that would completely disguise the person who was wearing it. Its upward sloping jawline allowed for the wearer to enjoy the libations of Carnival without forfeiting their disguise. Masks could accomplish more than disguise someone's identity or show their status in society; they were also an outlet for people to interact outside of the normal social setting. Social norms and society's regulations on who was permitted to speak and interact with who were set aside during Carnival. The masks allowed for secret romance, illicit activities, and various other activities to take place outside of traditional societal pressures.