49.6

Ancient Venice had a very rigid social sturcture and masks were used to hide identity in public and mask's were used as early as the 13 th century. Slowly state started restricting use of mask's as thieves started using it as a disguise to escape. Now masks are worn by gypsies as above and during festivals like St. Stephen's day, Carnival of Venice etc. Masks are made of leather, porcelain or glass, hand painted and sometimes embellished with gold leaf and precious stones.