The Legend of the Mouth of Truth (Bocca della Verità) is as captivating as the rich history of Rome.
Opposite the wall of the Santa Maria in Cosmedin church, in Rome, there lies an enigmatic relic – a weathered marble face with a gaping mouth, famously known as the “Bocca della Verità” or “Mouth of Truth.”
According to legend, this marble face punishes lies and dishonesty by biting off the fingers of the guilty.
The “Mouth of Truth” is a carved stone disc depicting a human head. Many consider it the world’s oldest lie detector. Those believed to be lying will be bitten by this mouth when they place their hand inside. Others believe that the longer you keep your hand inside this mouth, the longer you engrave the name of your loved one in your heart. If you are not bitten, it signifies that this is indeed your true love. (Image: Unbelievable-facts).
The purpose and identity of this stern, bearded marble face remain a mystery. This round sculpture, weighing 1,300 kg, has numerous legends surrounding it and conceals many inexplicable elements. However, no one knows for certain whose face it is. This captivating sculpture is about 20 cm thick and has a diameter of 175 cm. Historically, no one knows what its original purpose was when it was created.
With a diameter of about 175 cm, this marble relief was created by the Romans in the 1st century AD. By the 17th century, it was moved to the outer hall of the church at Cosmedin, where it remains to this day. (Image: Unbelievable-facts)
This face stands out with hollow eyes, nostrils, and a wide-open mouth. According to most scholars, it may represent the Sea God, Oceanus. Some scholars believe the face could also belong to Triton, the god of the Tiber, or more commonly, Faun, the pagan god of the forest.
Some theories suggest that this marble face could be a cover for a well or a part of a fountain in ancient Rome. Other hypotheses propose that it might have originally served as a drain cover at the nearby Temple of Hercules Victor. The temple has a circular open space at the top, similar to the Pantheon in Rome.
Some historians speculate that it might be the drain cover for the Cloaca Maxima, a massive drainage system still in existence, built in ancient Rome and flowing into the Tiber River. With this theory, it would be fitting for the face to belong to the god Oceanus, the sea god, overseeing the water flowing through the city into the river.
According to legend, lying tourists who put their hand in the mouth of the relief will have their fingers bitten off. This story may sound far-fetched, but many people believe it. As a result, the line of people waiting to place their hands in the Mouth of Truth continues to grow, seeking to prove their honesty. The relief became even more famous after appearing in the film Roman Holiday, released in 1953, where the main characters used it to test their integrity. (Image: Unbelievable-facts).
However, it is a fact that no one knows for certain about the origins of the Bocca della Verità. Local legends say that if you put your hand in the mouth of this marble face and lie, you might lose your hand as punishment for lying.
This legend may have begun during the Middle Ages when Rome was rife with courts, executions, and witch trials! Defendants or suspected individuals at trials, if found guilty, would have their hands severed as punishment.
It is believed that the Bocca della Verità was likely created as a lie detector, with records of this found in a document from around the 1450s. A famous legend from the 15th century revolves around a nobleman who suspected his wife of infidelity and brought her to trial before the Mouth of Truth. This unfaithful woman devised a cunning plan to escape the judgment of the Mouth of Truth. Her lover, disguised as a madman, suddenly rushed in to embrace her as she reached her hand into the Mouth of Truth. At that moment, she claimed that no one except her husband and the madman had ever touched her. Technically, this was proven to be a crafty truth, but it was truth nonetheless. Accordingly, she escaped the judgment of the Mouth of Truth and regained her husband’s trust.
Illustration: Unbelievable-facts
The legend of the marble mask as the arbiter of truth has existed for over 500 years. But it is merely a legend. The mystery of the marble face with hollow eyes, a nose, and a gaping mouth has contributed to the popularity of the story in a culture obsessed with pagan gods, superstitions, and dark conspiracies.
Yet there may be some truth in it, just not the whole truth. Throughout the centuries, manuscripts and references suggest the story may go like this: If the authorities deemed the accused guilty, the executioners would hide behind the mask, equipped with swords, axes, and ready to execute justice.
The purpose of this enormous marble block and its original position remain unclear to this day. However, around the 13th century, it was moved to the medieval church of Santa Maria. Later, in the 17th century, after some restoration work on the church, it was relocated to its current position against the church wall.
Over time, adaptations of this marble mask have proliferated. Currently, a replica similar in size to the marble mask is housed at Alta Vista Gardens in California. Additionally, there is a sculpture in the Luxembourg Gardens in Paris depicting a woman placing her hand into the Mouth of Truth.
A sculpture in the Luxembourg Gardens in Paris depicts a woman placing her hand into the “Mouth of Truth.” (Image: Unbelievable-facts).
