The Mouth of Truth

If you have ever been to Rome you hope you have not missed the "Mouth of Truth".

It's a large marble bearded face with empty eyes and mouth, in Santa Maria in Cosmedin close to the Foro Boario, that look at you in a threatening way.



Made in 1632 the Monument is something between Myth and Legend, and some can feel a sort of Myshycal Aura around it. But what is the Truth behind the Mouth of Truth?

** The Guardian ** One of the possible hypothesis is to hide and guard the Sacred Temple of Mercury, which was really important for the Roman Merchants going to prove their honesty by putting the hand in the Mouth before they could get access to the Temple itself.

** The Oracle ** Another possible hypothesis is the Mouth as Oracle for all the Pilgrims. It was thought to have the Power of foreseeing the future.

** The Judgment ** One of the most interesting legends, around 300, was about an adulterous woman taken by the husband to the Mouth, to proof her sin using the Mystical Powers of the Monument. Apparently, the wife fooled the husband twice: the woman's lover, which was faking to be mad, hugged her in front of everybody. That way she could swear to only have been touched by two people in her life, and everything else was hidden to the Power of the Mouth.

Next time you visit the Mouth of the Truth watch your hand. If you are a liar it could get devoured by the Mouth...