The word carnival, said carnovale in Tuscany, comes from the Latin carnem levare, an expression used in the middle ages which marked the beginning of the Lenten fast.

Origins of Carnival

A time of the year during which one was not allowed to eat meat (carne in Latin). But like many other festivals of our calendar, it derives from an ancient roman cult the Saturnalia, a pagan rites of fertility which were celebrated in honour of the god Saturn. During those celebrations everything was allowed, even disguising and change of rules. Carnivals were modified substantially because of its magic and ritual nature with Christianity, but it still was tolerated by the clergy. During the 15^th and 16^th century some traditions were recaptured and the use of masks and public fancies spread all over the country.

Masks and carnival parades

In Umbria and Terni parades with allegoric chariots took place every year in Montecastrilli, the same kind of exhibition takes place in Guardea on February the 15^th and the 22^nd. By the way, in the whole Umbrian territory, you may find parades of allegory chariots with masks, plays and exhibitions of typical masks and dresses. A folkloristic exhibition followed by a snack with typical cakes and sweets took place in the Bricks and Terracotta museum of Contignano, which was a hamlet of Marsciano. On February 26^th in the Città di Castello centre there are party games, plays in carnival clothes and music.

Carnival sweets

During the carnival in Umbria you may taste the struffoli, a sweet typical of Perugia made with honey, sugar and candied fruits. The most common are the frittelle and obviously the frappe and castagnole. The cicerchiata is another typical Umbrian recipe. This one, like the struffoli, is a traditional Umbrian sweet, but has been wrongly considered abruzzian. It is made with small balls of pasta sunk in orange honey and garnished with candies and sugared almonds.