Ancient Roots

Celebrated all over Europe and the Americas, most folks think of Carnival as the period immediately preceding the austere Christian season of Lent. But the festival's association with Christianity is a relatively recent one.

Carnival's roots lie in ancient festivals celebrated by the Romans and even the ancient Egyptians. The word Carnival (which comes from carnem levare, Latin for to remove meat) became associated with the Lenten season during the Middle Ages, when, after many unsuccessful attempts to eradicate the festival completely, the Church finally assimilated Carnival into the Christian calendar as the last festival before Lent, which is traditionally honored by abstaining from eating meat.

Once Upon a Time . . .

In Venice, Carnevale first gained widespread popularity in the 18th century. Back then, it began the day after Christmas and lasted for six weeks! During that time, Venetian law was considered, well, optional. Citizens wore gaily colored costumes and put on comedic performances in the theaters and on street corners, poking fun at social and religious rituals and conventions.

The Venetian tradition of wearing masks and costumes is said to have been started by the stocking companies – clubs of young Venetian noblemen intent on amusing their fellow Venetians by organizing parties and spectacles. The gentlemen were famous for the colorful stockings they wore.

Everybody was required to don a costume and those who did not were playfully punished. Because everyone was disguised, divisions between social classes blurred and Venetian nobility seized this opportunity to carry on illicit love affairs, mingle with the lower classes and roam the casinos and theaters unrecognized.

The festival started with a series of balls and was followed by smaller parties that went on until midnight on Shrove Tuesday, when the bells of San Francesco dell Vigna tolled to announce the beginning of Lent.

The Venetian government encouraged street entertainment and organized games, believing these encouraged patriotism and a fighting spirit, although some of these sports and shows were downright bizarre.

Eighteenth Century Carnevale Games

For the Feast of Mardi Gras – the final event of Carnevale – acrobats outside the Doge's Palace would build human pyramids and perform the flight of the angel an acrobat would slide down a rope from the top of St. Mark's campanile to the Doge's Palace to deliver a bouquet of flowers to the Doge – the city’s chief official.

Cruel games involving live animals were played on Candlemas during the 18th century. One involved dangling a live goose from a balcony by a rope. Contestants would leap from a bridge and try to grab the goose; the proud winner would carry it through the streets.

Wheelbarrow races among Venice's street-sweepers were also especially popular, as was bull-baiting.