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Carnival of Venice 2008
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Carnival of Venice 2008

The Carnival of Venice was first recorded in 1268. The subversive nature of the festival is reflected in the many laws created over the centuries attempting to restrict celebrations and often banning the wearing of masks.

It was not until a modern mask shop was founded in the 1980s that the carnival enjoyed a revival. It starts two weeks before Ash Wednesday and ends on Shrove Tuesday, also known as Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras.

The masks worn have a language all of their own:

Moretta is an oval mask of black velvet, which can be finished off with a veil.
Larva is also known as the Volto mask, it is mainly white and worn with a cloak.
Bauta covers the whole face, with no mouth, and lots of gilding. Historically the Bauta was useful for illicit and criminal activities as well as romantic encounters.