theoddsideofme:

Perhaps the strangest and most mysterious mask of them all, the Moretta mask experienced a brief surge of popularity before disappearing almost entirely by 1760. A full-face mask like the Bauta, the Moretta mask (also sometimes called the Servetta Muta, or mute maidservant) had no straps or dowels to secure it to ones face. Instead, the Moretta mask was kept in place by means of a button sewn onto the inside that the wearer would clamp between their teeth, rendering them mute. Traditionally worn only by women, the Moretta encouraged the Renaissance ideal of feminine beauty by accentuating the delicate curves of the face, and by obliging the wearer to communicate via body language instead of by speaking. Ironically, this mute mask speaks volumes about the eras understanding of a womans place in society.