Archaic Carnival of Ottana, Sardegna, Italy


The mask of Sos Boes

“The carnival of Ottana takes place in Sardinia, Italy, and has its roots in peasant culture. Derived from a mediterranean neolithic cult of farming and fertility, the core character and originality of this event has been maintained due to the region’s long history of isolation. Carnival participants wear masks and costumes, each resembling a different farm animal and some representing the struggle between animal instinct and human reason. Associated with strength and vitality, the bull for example is the symbol of the carnival. Anthropologists associate agricultural civilization with ancient ceremonies where time of Spring was always celebrated as the symbol of awakening the earth and vegetation."

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