History of Venetian carnival

Origin of the word "Carnival"
The historical and philological interpretation of the word "carnival" could be:
1. first hypothesis is due to Christian meaning of latin term "carrus navalis", to identify procession cart as ship, used in ancient Rome during purification rituals (usually in month of February, last month of roman calendar year)¬
2. second and more qualified hypothesis is always due to Latin meaning "carnem levare" (to avoid meat) and it is referred to ancient medieval tradition to celebrate, after a long period of feast and entertainment, a party of goodbye to meat during Ash-Wednesday, forecasting Lent fast and penances.
Today, Carnival is result of evolution and several historic events integration during centuries course. It is out of scope for this web-site to analyse carnival in all concepts, but it is our scope to focus on Carnival in Venice during consequential historical step and with particular attention to one of most enigmatic and peculiar mask of this city, the bauta (pron ba:uta:)

Carnival in Venice from 1100 till 1700
First mention to origin of Venetian Carnival start in century XII.
Reading chronicles, during Thursday of Carnival Venice celebrated the victory of doge Vitale Michiel II on patriarch Ulrico in Aquileia in the year 1162 and each year, ad memoriam, Ulrico's successors had to send to Doge of Venice specific number of animals. Arrived, the cattle was slaughtered and cooked and distributed to people during banquets. This Thursday was called also "berlingaccio" (as insolent and ridiculous) to indicate specific meaning of this day for enemy of Venice. In year 1296, then, with official document, Senate attributes "Carnival Tuesday" as holiday.

From middle of XIV century till end of XV century, organisation of Carnival Parties and began to be ruled and made official and responsible for this organisation was "Sock Circles", which were groups of aristocratic people, who wore coloured socks, and each combinations of colours distinguished each district.
Today again in Venice, districts are 6 and for this reason they are called "sestrieri" (sest... is for 6th) Remembering each district, the listels of stem (or comb) of gondola are six.

Resuming traditions phases, it is possible to have a specific chronicle which contributed to get solemn Carnival in Venice During Carnival days, a lot of majestic and important glamour spectac1es were prepared for Doge Receptions and for government authority, more the other parties in aristocratic buildings. When Doge received foreign authorities, they see all spectac1es into secondary squares of Piazza S. Marco from balconies of Palazzo Ducale : - fire machine with a lot of fireworks, - human pyramid, called Hercules Power (forze d'Ercole) - Moresca Ballet (moresca is mask for women) ¬Blooding Bull beheading into Palazzo Ducale Court. - Angel or dove flight. To be precise, this last tradition, in the beginning, was the walk of Turkish prisoner on a rope from Bell Tower to Doge Palace presenting him a gift and to obtain freedom, in the worst hypothesis, this prisoner fell down and dead. This tradition celebrated meanings of majority of Venice on East Lands. During centuries, this walk has been substituted by flight of Angel, a slung person who went down on the same rope, to symbolize peace and then this person has been substituted by a mechanic dove. Only in the last year, tradition carne back to Angel Flight.

In Italian history tradition, Carnival is before Lent. In Venice during XVIII century, this period has been enlarged and the start was on October when Theatres opened.
In Europe, Venice was a town with several theatres: S.Salvador (today Teatro Goldoni), S.Cassiano, S.Angelo, S.Moisè. Then other private theatres were: S.Giovanni Crisostomo, (today Teatro Malibran), S.Samuele and then S.Benedetto, destroyed during a fire and after lot of legai disputes, has been re¬built into "La Fenice".
Properly, Carnival started in St. Stephen's day (December-26th), when Authorities gave permissions to wear masks. Top of Celebrations were on Thursday before Lent and all stopped on Tuesday before Lent.
Today Tuesday before Lent is called also "mardi gras" Carnival meant spectacles in theatres, caffès, casinos and private circ1es, but in general this meant all amusing behaviour, when aristocratic and normal people were the same into the streets. In this situation, mask represented unique possibility, into mixed society with strong distinctions, to be equal and confused and to be anonym and use this advantages this condition has… Another evidence is from a chronicle of abbot Marco Marchetti, when he told about his life in Venice and a discussion between son of Spanish Ambassador and a mask in night of November 20th 1696 on politics rule of Venice Inquisitors.
Again, Montesquieu in his memories thought about glamour and of Venetian Carnival. This moment was very important, that cannot be interrupted. I.g. death of doge Paolo Renier, happened on February 13th 1789 has been announced only on march 2nd at the end of all receptions and parties.

End of Carnival in Venice
Carnival finished on 1797 in Venice, when with CampoformioDec1aration, Venice has been merged into Austria, a lot of traditions were forbidden. For other years, parties in palaces continued tilI1861, when ltaly became one country and since then no more notes about carnival we found.

Renascence of carnival in Venice
Starting form 1979, many associations in town of Venice decided to recreate this lost tradition, maximum glamour jointed during XVIII century. Today several institutions plan and promote working with other authorities the Carnival organisation and activities, on town of Venice and in neighbourhood in the l0 days before Lent Wednesday.

Laws and traditions
Purpose of Carnival is to create fun. If this fun is obtained without rules, even if moral only, risk to degenerate is always present. For this reason, "Serenissima" Government issued laws in this topic in several moments.

In a document dated in year 1268, Government prohibited men with masks to play with eggs (masked men threw eggs filled with perfume to ladies). In the beginning of XIV century, Senate proposed laws to limit licentiousness of Venetians: masks could not walk during the night in the city of Venice, female masks could not access into church or convents.

Carnival in the beginning was a cultural moment, but during centuries became an economic result. By inviting or attracting important personages from all Europe, a lot of money arrived into "Serenissima" Treasury, in crisis after new world (America) discovery. New world offered new fertile lands, without limitations, with a lot of spices, and less far than Asia, which was very problematic for presence of Ottoman Empire and not sure time to import precious goods from those lands.

Venice was a city where a lot of people, from different places and different races, arrived and for this reason it was a neuralgic and metropolitan point in Europe for spy activity. To be precise, secret accusations received between year 1588 and year 1647 created a lot of confusions… And Senate has been obliged to issue a rule: "Council of Ten accept with 2/3 of polls, secret handwritten charges for false oaths, brag-men, vagabonds, exchanges and barters, if all these are referred to masks, ships and harquebuses..."

Many descriptions on traditions on Venetian carnival are on "chronicles" of Sanudo, for XVI century.

Masks, with anonymity license, have been used over their possibility... In XVII century, to wear a mask was a status-symbol, Venice Republic Government had to decree new rigid rules: it was forbidden to have a mask in face during not carnival periods, in religious places, no fire-arms, no noises and masks only allowed in specific time. Prostitutes could not have masks in public. Men could not mask as women, and viceversa.

After and at the end of XVII century, bauta as mask is due in official party and receptions and in wine¬ pubs.

To be precise, thousands of masks went to Sto Moisé casino, public club of Government property, was principal point during carnival, between year 1638 and 1774 (period when it was open) . As it is readable on Club St.Moisé statute, people who could not wear a mask, were croupiers and impoverished Venice nobility.