A walk around the “Eternal City” will be incomplete, if you do not visit the well -preserved Roman “lie detector” – an ancient round plate of marble in the form of a mask. It is known under the name “Truth of Truth” (on the map). You can look at the unusual “polygraph” in the church of Santa Maria-In-Kosmedin, located on the Square of Della Bokka della Verita.
Historians have not yet been able to determine exactly who and when this mask was made. Presumably, the date of its creation is the 1st century AD. At that moment, according to scientists, she either served as a sewer hatch in the cloak of Maxim, or was a fragment of one of the many Roman fountains.
As for the face on the marble slab, disputes also do not subside. In different sources, the gods of Tiberin, Mercury or Triton serve as the prototype of the image. It is now hardly possible to establish exactly who the Romans depicted on this plate. But it is well known that at the moment when the “mouth of the truth” began to be used as a “lies detector”, the locals were sure that the face belonged to Ekol to the winner. This is a mythical hero who was famous for his intolerance to the liars. According to legends, without any hesitation, he could bite off his hand to the one who told the lie.
I want to be in Rome!
Whatever the “mouth of truth” served during the time of ancient Rome, a hatch in the sewer or part of the fountain, in the Middle Ages they turned into an important element of the trial.
The procedure for the passage of this “polygraph” was quite simple: the guilty told his version of what happened, after which he put his hand in his mouth in a mask. In some cases, the suspect began to scream, and then took out the bloodied stroke of his hand, but the brush was “swallowed” by the face …
Historical documents that have survived to this day indicate that behind the mask there was an executioner, which ruthlessly chopped off his hands. True, it is not very clear who exactly the decision was made on the veracity or deceitfulness of the words of a person who fell on such a court.
It is significant that in Rome of that time, parents often scared their children with “lips of truth” and thus tried to accustom them to an honest and righteous life. The fear of the mask was so great that on the way to her the offender admitted to her sins.
Temple of Santa Maria-In-Kosmedin
In the XVII century, the ancient plate moved to the portico of the temple of Santa Maria-In-Cosmedine, where we can see it today. At that time, a market was located near the church, and very often local merchants caught in an attempt to inflate the buyer were brought to the mask. Here, the trial of thieves and women who were suspected of marital treason.
If you believe the legend, once it became known that his wife has a young lover, and he led her to the “mouth”. The woman was about to put her hand in the hole, when suddenly a young man jumped out of the crowd and kissed the lady. In his appearance, one could say that he was just crazy, and none of the audience had a suspicion that it was a lover. When the woman was asked if she was faithful to her husband, her answer was to some extent true. She said: “I only knew the hands of my spouse and this madman.” It is unknown to “bite off” the head of her hand, but the legend of the Roman face began to spread throughout Europe. She was even captured in the film “The Control of Truth” by the artist Lucas Cranach Elder. On the canvas, the woman put her hand in the mouth of an unusual monster, but other details of the picture make it clear that the author had in mind the famous Roman marble slab.
The attention of tourists “Strive” was attracted after 1953, when the film “Roman holidays” was released. The main roles were played by Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Pek. During the scene near the church, the actor had to simply put his hand in the “mouth of truth”, but Gregory decided to scare the partner a little during the filming process and, placing his hand in the mask’s mouth, screamed loudly. Before taking out his hand, he hid the brush in the sleeve of his costume. Apparently, Audrey was particularly impressionability, as she almost lost consciousness. The staff of the film crew had to urgently bring her to his senses, but they did not cut the episode from the picture. Moreover, critics recognized him one of the most natural and “living” in the whole film.
Photo: Anzinitaly.wordpress.com
Today, in order to look at the “mouth of truth” you will have to defend the line. Despite the plate that allows you to make only one photograph, the waiting time is usually delayed. After all, each tourist considers his duty to capture himself in different poses with his hand embedded in his mouth.
During the inspection of the church, pay attention to another relic – the skull of Valentine. This is the same patron of all lovers, who, according to legends, secretly performed the rituals of marriage, connecting the hearts of young people.
Finding the “mouth of truth” is quite simple. Having arrived in Rome, you need to find the Church of Santa Maria-In-Cosmedine. It is located between the ruins of a large circus and Tiber. The church is open to tourists every day from 09:00 to 18:00, but you should remember about the hours of siesta: from 13:00 to 15:00 the entrance is closed.
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Author: Roskin Mikhail
