Artifacts & Rituals

Italy is home to many regions which all contain their own unique cultures. Rome has always managed to make its own mark in history. Whether it be as the Holy Roman Empire or the home of The Colosseum, I am here to answer the question, what actually happens when in Rome.

        Rome has a history flushed with art pieces and sculptures from The Renaissance, many of which are housed in The Vatican Museum. When in Rome, people tend to want to view a portion of their culture through art, and what better way to view it than up close and personal. As an artifact of Rome’s culture, The Vatican carries a lot of weight. It can be viewed as a key location to Catholicism in the west. Renaissance art as a whole has a mystical aura tied to it, the rebirth of art, which can be felt throughout Rome. With works like the murals within the Sistine Chapel or Michelangelo’s sculpture, David, there is never a sight to miss. Art is rooted in Italy’s history and floods every part of their culture. Whether it be the art of making homemade pasta or the best meatballs you’ll ever have, there is art within everything.

Another artifact of Rome is the food, from hearty pasta dishes with a thick red sauce or some veal with thick cut roasted vegetables. Pasta represents hard work and love, kneading the pasta dough and then rolling it out with a rolling pin could take hours, but those hours are not wasted. A feast comes after those hours spent rolling and cutting pasta, allowing for a gathering of those who are near and dear to enjoy a family made home cooked meal. An artifact within the idea of food is family recipes, every family has their own version of a classic recipe. Family recipes create an homage to those who came before, passing the recipe onto people who will be remembered within the recipe itself one day. Family recipes are history, and history must be preserved and cherished. 

         Rituals are also a topic of conversation when talking about Rome. Many weddings in the modern day follow Christian weddings but some may have ancient traditions within them. The focus today is more on the aspect of “the father giving the hand of his daughter to the groom” instead of focusing on the “privilege” to marry the fathers daughter (Explore Italian Culture, 2021). An aspect of the ancient Roman marriage is still seen today in modern society, the kiss between the Bride and the Groom. Keeping with the religious based rituals, Italian Christmas is next up on the list. Not specifically tied to Rome, some Christians celebrate Christmas on December 8^th. This early celebration is not without reason however, it celebrates the conception of Mary, who “was protected from original sin, that Mary did not have a sin nature and was, in fact, sinless” (Got Questions, 2021). The early celebration is called the Immaculate Conception and is only celebrated by a subset of Italians. The majority of Christian Italians though, still celebrate Christmas on December 25^th.

By: Jack Frentz