The mouth of truth is a lie detector with cruel punishment. Legends and truth about the mouth of truth in Rome

Who fall madly in love with the Eternal City. I will tell you about a landmark that became widely known thanks to the film “Roman Holiday”.

Mouth of Truth (Bocca della Verità)

According to one version, this is the gloomy face of the ruler of the seas and oceans, Triton. But throughout the existence of this marble disk, scientists have never determined its purpose for sure.

According to legend, called the “mouth of truth,” the mask acts as a lie detector. Put your hand in the open mouth and if you are a liar, she will bite it off for you! But there is also a legend that this “lie detector” can be surpassed by...what do you think?!...female cunning! That's it. 🙂

A mysterious antique disk about 2000 years old is installed in the gallery adjacent to the church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin. By the way, its main relic is the skull of that same Saint Valentine, in whose honor Valentine’s Day is celebrated on February 14 every year.

Roman holiday

Undoubtedly, “Mouth of Truth” gained popularity after the release of the film “Roman Holiday”. Starring my favorite actress Audrey Hepburn (by the way, I already talked about the filming location of the film “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” with her in leading role) and handsome man Gregory Peck.

A princess and a journalist, they walk through the Eternal City, kiss and eat ice cream on the . Having excited the whole of Rome with their adventures, they have continued to excite the hearts of viewers around the world for 64 years, leaving no one indifferent.

Address: Via della Greca,1. How to get there: Colosseo metro station.

Roman Lie Detector - Mouth of Truth

How often does a person say one thing, but their eyes express something else? Is there at least one inhabitant on planet Earth who has never lied in his life? Obviously not. According to statistics, people can cheat at least 3 times in a 10-minute conversation. And in 60 years? It is estimated that people will lie on average 88 thousand times, this includes hidden family infidelities, ugly deeds, gossip and so on. According to the famous Hollywood actor, Tim Roth, “Finding a good liar is not so difficult, but a brilliant one is almost impossible.” The time will come and the most skillful inventor will reveal himself.
As we see, the need for a polygraph arose in ancient times, because the conscientiousness of one could decide the fate of another. Do you think that the first lie detector was invented in our time? You are wrong. Its prototype was back in the distant dark Middle Ages. And where? Well, of course, in Rome, it’s not for nothing that all roads lead there.
Definition of cheating in ancient times
People have long thought about how to bring a deceiver to clean water, having proven fraud, find confirmation of betrayal, treason. To reveal the truth in different centuries The most incredible methods were used.
In the East they came to the conclusion: when a person experiences a feeling of fear, he becomes nervous and salivation stops. To find out the truth, they began to use rice flour, putting it in the mouth of the subject. If it remained dry, he was recognized as a liar.
When selecting applicants for a bodyguard, Ancient Rome and Sparta used a different method. A man was placed on the edge of a cliff and asked: “Isn’t it scary?” Who confessed? The truth was determined by the changed color of the face: it turned pale, which means he told a lie, the deceiver was thrown off a cliff, such a warrior could not show dexterity and fearlessness in battle.

What are the Roman "Mouth of Truth"?

This cannot be said to be a work of art. The mouth of the sitina is a huge mask on a round slab with a diameter of 1 m. 75 cm. According to archaeologists, it dates back to the VI century. BC e. Whose image is seen? On the marble circle one can clearly see a stern male face with a beard, large round eyes, and an impressive hole instead of a mouth. Rumor has it that this part, belonging to an antique fountain from around the 1st century, depicts a pagan god, perhaps Oceanus, Tiber, Mercury or the stern Ercole the Victorious. No one has been able to determine it; there are only unconfirmed guesses. Maybe once upon a time jets of water burst out of the mouth, delighting with the overflow of splashes. There is a version that the circle was used as a sewer cover in a sewer at an ancient Roman temple. As you can see, his mission is completely peaceful. When did they manage to endow him with a formidable punitive power? There is no exact answer.
In ancient times, the “Mouth of Truth” was able not only to quickly expose a liar. They acted as a formidable executioner, depriving the one who lied of the hand placed in the open mouth of the marble appearance. The spectacle is not for the faint of heart. What was it like for people undergoing such testing? The impassive deity, remaining indifferent to silent pleas and a face distorted with fear, is ready at the slightest hint of deception to snatch off part of the unfortunate man’s hand. Of course, there was an executioner behind the wall, carrying out the bloody act. At the first secret sign, he sharply lowered the ax onto his hand, cutting it off. How could the dark people know this in the Middle Ages? Everyone firmly believed in the divine punishment of Ercole, whose outline frozen in stone caused horror, prompting instant recognition.

Where is the "Mouth of Truth" kept?

In the location of the former Bull Market, there is an inconspicuous small church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin. It is not allowed to enter here with bare shoulders or knees. For those uninitiated in the rules, small cloths are offered for covering.
These walls preserve a mysterious, overgrown with more than one legend, unique thing - the Roman “lie detector”. Huge queues of people line up to see him, wanting to put their palm into the bottomless depths of the open mouth of the incorruptible medieval servant of the law. Everyone wants to capture the picture by taking a photo with a miracle.
Starting from the IX Art. The appearance of the temple was changed several times, to end of the 19th century Art. The façade was restored to Romanesque style. The magnificent frescoes are eye-catching, especially the “Tree of Life”, the stone carvings are captivating, and the incredibly beautiful, varied mosaics on the floor are admirable. The sacristy is decorated with an amazing image of the Epiphany.
The side altar preserves an important relic - the skull of St. Valentine, in whose honor Valentine's Day is celebrated everywhere. Legend says that he served as a priest in the 3rd century. n. e. during the reign of Emperor Claudius II, who wanted to own a strong army. Confident that only single men could make her invincible, he forbade young men to marry. Considering the decision unfair, Valentin engaged the young couples secretly, for which he paid with his life. The remains of the saint's ashes are kept by many churches in Europe.
The Eternal City is a bottomless well of numerous masterpieces, to which even magic is not alien. Its ancient value - “The Mouth of Truth” is shrouded in a mysterious veil, the origins of which are buried so deeply that it is almost impossible to find them, but this makes them even more attractive. Rome is an ever-alluring mystery, a song that can be sung endlessly...

The very first lie detector is more than 2000 years old. Don't believe me? And absolutely in vain! Even medieval spouses forced their faithful to put their hands into the Mouth of Truth to find out whether they were faithful to their husbands.

Amazing Rome... There is hardly another city on the planet where you would want to take a photo with a manhole cover. And in the city on seven hills, you will not only do it with pleasure, but also stand in a huge line for this action. And it's not a joke! Present to your attention Mouth of Truth in Rome - the most ancient lie detector and a real " nightmare"for unfaithful medieval ladies.

Roman Mouth of Truth in front and profile

Although la Bocca della Verita has a thousand-year history behind it, real popularity came to the “truth-loving mouth” only in the second half of the 20th century after the release of the film “Roman Holiday” with Audrey Hepburn in the title role. Today this stone mouth is one of the most replicated and photographed attractions of the capital, and a few centuries ago a close acquaintance with the Mouth of Truth threatened to lose one’s hand.

To say that when you go to explore Usta you won’t see anything special is to say nothing. The Mouth of Truth cannot boast of the amazing size, inventiveness of architecture, or sophistication of sculpture for which Italian builders of all times were famous. Perhaps their main advantage is their age. The rest is just a round slab of marble, weighing more than a ton, with a diameter of 1.75 meters, depicting a mask. Moreover, whose exact mask is now unknown for certain. One version points to the hero of Roman mythology Ercole the Victorious, the second - to the main Olympian god Zeus, the third - to the Ocean god Triton. In addition, historians do not deny the possibility that the marble mask is a collective image of an oracle or a faun.

About the location

Finding the Roman Mouth of Truth is quite simple: they are located on the square of the same name Piazza della Bocca della Verita on the left under the portico at
Church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin. This temple was built by the Greeks back in the 6th century and named after one of the quarters of Constantinople. Tourists usually see here a fragment of a mosaic from the year 706, brought from , paintings by painters of the 8th - 12th centuries, an altar made of red granite in the Gothic style, a candelabra made in the 13th century, and a 7-story bell tower decorated with colored majolica. But most of all, visitors are interested in the Mouth of Truth, which appeared here in the 17th century and threatens to bite off the hand of every liar.

History and legends

Historians found the first mention of the Mouth of Truth in the first guide to Rome for pilgrims, Mirabilia Urbis Romae, dating back to the 11th century. It informed visitors about magical abilities The lips warned that every liar and adulterer risks losing his hand here.

The age of this, one might say, the first lie detector is more than respectable - almost 24 centuries. But the mask was not made by the ancient Romans in order to punish criminals and establish the truth. Despite the fact that the ancient inhabitants of Rome worshiped the gods, the relationship between them remained very democratic. The Romans did not consider it blasphemous to ask the gods for help in fulfilling natural needs or to decorate the drains of sewer canals with the faces of the supreme deities. In the first centuries of its existence, a marble disk with prophetic lips served as a decorative cover for the sewer mine of the Great Cloaca, the predecessor of the Great Cloaca, and, simply put, as a sewer hatch. That is, it was a thing, undoubtedly necessary and useful, but of no interest to visitors.

The Mouth of Truth gained much greater popularity after it was installed vertically. At first, the disk was located next to the temple in the shopping area, where many thieves “fed”. It is believed that in the Middle Ages an executioner was hiding behind a marble slab, acting as “divine justice” and cutting off the hands of criminals.

Over time, husbands began to come here, suspecting their spouses of infidelity. Legends about fair lips spread throughout Europe. One of them was captured in his 1534 canvas “The Mouth of Truth” by Lucas Cranach the Elder. Although the woman in the painting puts her hand into the gaping mouth of a monster resembling a lion, other details indicate that the artist depicted the Roman Mouth of Truth.

The legend says: one important dignitary was informed that his wife was cheating on him with a young lover. The woman brought to the square was about to put her hand in, when a young man jumped out of the crowd and began to hug the lady. His appearance was so crazy that none of the spectators doubted his madness. When the woman was asked the question: “Did she cheat on her husband?”, she replied: “My body knows the hands of only two men: my husband and this madman.” But the madman was her lover!

Please note that you can see the Mouth of Truth not only in the capital of Italy. The marble slab with an open mouth is now so popular that you can come across it in almost every big city peace. There has been nothing unusual about it for a long time. And yet, a rare family album of travelers who visited Rome does not contain photos from the truth.

So you, being on the Aventine not far from the church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, do not be too lazy to put your hand under the portico on the left and, of course, smile at the camera, because the “terrible” Mouth of Truth in Rome no longer bites.

Anyone who has seen the film "Roman Holiday" remembers how main character put his hand into the Mouth of Truth and... While walking around Rome, stop by the Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin and see this marble bas-relief. But be prepared to stand in line to take a lie detector test and take a photo with the landmark.

Next to the stone statue on both sides of the passage there are boxes for donations. There is a fee for a photo session with an ancient oracle. Many people strive for the mask - tourists of different religions vying with each other to prove their honesty before the pagan deity. A special attendant keeps order. Near the ancient artifact there is a sign with a warning: “Only one photo,” but the rule is constantly violated. The “tested” tourists pose several times, boldly plunging their hands into open marble mouths - after all, there is no longer an executioner behind the temple wall.

The mouth of truth in cinema

The Italian artifact Bocca della Verita has gained worldwide fame since 1953, after the release of William Wyler’s film “Roman Holiday.” It was here, near the temple, in front of the “Mouth of Truth,” that the famous scene between Anna and Joe (Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck) was filmed. Gregory played the “biting off the hand” episode in such a way that Audrey’s horror was natural.

In 1900, composer Heinrich Platzbecker wrote the operetta “The Mouth of Truth.” And in our time, the image of the stone oracle has been replicated in video games.

To go through the “inquiry procedure” and take spectacular photos, tourists have to stand in a long line, but the flow of people coming here is continuous. The Church of St. Mary Decorated is open daily. It is said that the relics of St. Valentine are kept in the crypt of this temple.

Opening hours of the Church of Sant Maria in Cosmedin

In winter from 09:30 - 17:00;
in summer from 09:30 - 18:00.

The entrance is free,
The waiting time in line is about 10-20 minutes.

How to get there

Bus: 51,81,85,87,118,160,628,715, C3 - Greca stop,
No. 44, 44F,83,170,716,781,No.3, No.9, No.19 - stop Bocca della Verità,
23.280, No. 10 - Lungotevere Aventino;
by metro line B - Circo Massimo station.

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The Mouth of Truth is an unusual attraction: it looks like an ordinary slab with the image of an unknown ancient deity, however, thanks to a medieval legend and Hollywood movie, the stone mask has become a very popular tourist attraction in Rome.

The “Mouth of Truth” was made of light marble, which was delivered to Rome from Phrygia (the territory of present-day Turkey). This material was common among ancient Roman sculptors. Relief depicting male face, has a diameter of almost two meters and weighs more than a ton. Set the master name and the exact date Scientists were unable to make the disk. Presumably, he is 2200-2400 years old.

It is not known for certain who exactly is depicted on the mask - either the god of the Tiber River, or Triton. Its purpose is also not completely clear: it is obvious that the slab was somehow connected with water supply or sewerage, but what exactly it was - a sewer hatch, a drain or something else - is unclear. By the way, a similar disk can be found at the entrance to the Orange Garden on the Aventine, where it serves as a decorative element of the fountain.

If in Ancient Rome the Mouth of Truth performed purely utilitarian functions (being a sewer hatch), then in times early Middle Ages, when the disk was placed vertically, it suddenly acquired mystical properties. People began to tell incredible things about the terrifying marble “face”: if a person involved in deception puts his hand into the mouth of the mask, he will immediately lose it. As a lie detector, the relief of an unknown god in Rome was already known in the 12th century - it was mentioned in one of the guidebooks of those years. By the 15th century, the title of “Mouth of Truth” was finally assigned to him.

The Romans of the Middle Ages sincerely believed in the ability of a mask to detect lies. Such legends were extremely widespread at that time and did not raise doubts - in different corners Europe encountered similar instruments for detecting deception, although their role was most often played by the figure of a lion with an open mouth. Such a plot, for example, can be seen in the painting by Lucas Cranach (16th century), which is called “The Mouth of Truth.”

The canvas by Lucas Cranach depicts a scene with a lady whom her husband suspected of treason. To clarify the circumstances, the woman was brought to the “Mouth of Truth”, but she cheated - she agreed with her lover so that he would come to the square under the guise of a madman and publicly embrace her. The madman was not severely punished for his daring act, but after this the suspect could declare with a clear conscience that no man had touched her body except her husband and this madman from the crowd.

The second reason why people believed in the legend was convincing facts. Historians believe that, most likely, there was an executioner hiding behind the mask, who actually chopped off the hands. Next to the square where the marble disc was installed, there once was a market, from where street thieves and merchants suspected of deception were often brought to the mask for inspection. Perhaps, to intimidate liars and swindlers of all stripes, the city authorities actually resorted to show executions.

The church in whose courtyard the Mouth of Truth is located

In the 20th century, no one, of course, took seriously the myth of recognizing a lie with a stone idol. “Mouth of Truth” would probably remain one of ancient artifacts, of which there are too many in Rome to pay attention to everyone. But the film “Roman Holiday,” released in 1953, did not allow the statue to remain in oblivion: a small episode where the mask allegedly bit off Gregory Peck’s hand instantly made “The Mouth of Truth” famous. After watching the film, tourists from Europe and the USA certainly wanted to take pictures with the famous sculpture. There are still queues for the disc to this day.

By the way, the famous scene in “Roman Holiday” was a prank by Gregory Peck: he decided to play a trick on the impressionable Audrey Hepburn and pretended that the sculpture had bitten off his hand. The actress believed it for a second and was scared. So Audrey’s emotions in the frame are real.

How to find the Mouth of Truth in Rome

This is not difficult to do: the mask is installed near the wall of the church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin in the square, which is called, accordingly, the Square of the Mouth of Truth (Piazza della Bocca della Verita). A visit to this attraction should be combined with a walk through the Orange Garden and the Circus Maximus, which are located nearby.