Venice Carnival
Although they can be traced back to pagan times, carnivals as we know them began in Europe with the rise of Christianity as a pre-lent festival. By the mid 17th Century the Venice Carnival had become the most famous throughout Europe, encouraged, doubtless, as a means of distracting the populace from the hardships they were normally asked to endure.

A time for all class barriers to come down, the carnival was a mixture of drinking, public insults, street theatre, more drinking and masked balls. With the rich and powerful mixing so closely with the lower classes, the use of masks was of the greatest importance to keep peoples identities unknown.

The most common was the Bauta, a half mask worn with black cape and black tricorn hat or, for the rowdier members of society, Punchinella masks and hats (the masks and outrageous behaviour coming directly from the Commedia Dell'arte). The first of these two disguises was popular due to it being available to only the most wealthy, outside carnival period - the second's popularity coming from the associated vulgarity and wildness that Punchinella troupes would be allowed to display. Indeed the roguish Casanova is known to have fallen in with a theatre troupe and indulged in the most outlandish and dangerous pranks of his day. He also, as one would expect, took full advantage of the Bauta mask to help in his many nocturnal liaisons.

The balls would take place in the various Venetian piazzas and would involve meals of imported delicacies, dancing and entertainment by jugglers, acrobats, etc. as well a feats of strength or daring, performed by young men, and usually resulting in being plunged into the freezing waters of the canal.