This food fight may look messy and violent, but it's all in the spirit of carnivale.

The traditional Battle of the Oranges is held annually in Northern Italy's Ivrea and is believed to date back to the Middle Ages.

For three days straight, hundreds form teams of "aranceri," or orange handlers, and pelt each other with oranges during the battles, which are based on a peasant uprising against tyrannical rule.

One team represents the commoners, and the other — riding in horse-drawn carriages — represents the Duke's allies.

A local woman is picked to dress up as the Mugnaia, or the miller's daughter, a historical figure said to have inspired the revolt. She appeared to the crowd following Monday's battle. 

The oranges, which represent stones, do not grow locally in the Italian Alps. Nearly half a million pounds of oranges are imported from Sicily every year for the event.

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