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Italian Venetian Masks
Italian Venetian
Masks have an ancient heritage. Coming from the Vienese, in Italy, some
of the richest, and most eccentric people in the world at that day,
wore Italian Venetian Masks which were considered a way of equalizing
citizens. Nobles and peasants alike were unable to tell each other
apart. Usually these mask were worn during the season of Lent, and so
again, the masked populace could partake of feasts and celebrate
without a priest being the wiser. There were some legitimate uses of
the mask. A doctor might wear one, with special herbs tucked in and
around the nose to prevent the wearer from catching the plague, that
was so prevalent during these years. It was felt that the mask gave the
Doctor, protection against the germs. Mask wearing even had it's own
etiquette and rules.
Some legends say that it began as early as the beginning of the first
millenia in 1092, others say it came later in 1162, sixty years, give
or take, it is still a very old custom. Citizens of Venice, found they
could come and go as they pleased, conduct their business, and still
remain anonymous in the fishbowl of Venice, where everyone knew his
neighbor's business.
Slowly through out the years of being anonymous, there began to grow
out of this carnival atmosphere, an unsavory element of promiscuity,
and decadence. Rome, unwilling to stop it because of the generous
donations that poured in from Venice were unwilling to aggravate the
Venetians. Finally, in desperation, to bring the citizens and the city
back into line, a law was passed that only during a certain three
months of the years could the mask be worn. Later that was shortened to
a month.
The carnival atmosphere dissipated for many years, and was only brought
back to life, here in the US, by some students in 1979. Thirty years
later, the tradition of Mardigras and Masks, is a strong as ever!
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