Why should I go to the bocca della verita'?

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trabia

ciao, i'm italian
i apologize for my english
there is a legend about "Bocca della veritÃ "(mouth of the Truth)
is you put your hand inside the mouth and you don't say the Truth your hand will be eaten from the mouth

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bocca_della_Verit%C3%A0

monorailgold

Hello,

First, you should go there to get your picture taken if front of this huge drain cover. It was used as a drain cover and has survived the centuries. The legend has it that it became a "lie detector". Someone would put their hand in it and if they lied their hand would be bitten off. Of course, this is not true but in ancient Rome, it was believed. The church is on the covered porch of the church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin. It is a very small church very near the river. It is one of the more recognizable symbols of Rome along with the colosseum and forum. Another reason to go see it is to see an artifact that was really used in ancient Rome. You are allowed to go up to it, put your hand in its mouth and take a picture. Most other historical sites don't allow you to touch the history that is on display, this is the exception.

Donna

ricsnake

Ciao,
La bocca della veritÃ (= The mouth of truth) is a giant face with an open mouth carved out in a round stone like a mask on a coin, leant flat on a wall, with a room past it.
Legend says it was used for something we might call a torture today: suspects or suspected cheating wives were led to it and asked to put the hand inside the mouth and tell the truth. If response was unsatisfactory the mouth would have bitten the hand i.e. in the worst case someone in the room behind would have cut it away.
The shape of it reminds me though of a fountain stone, idea supported from the italian wiki entry, where you can also cut and paste a pic.
Why should you go there? It is one of the symbols of ancient Roma survived thru' centuries and enclosed in a medioeval and later renaissance structured area. Also it is good to stroll in that beautiful historical area. As per last, if you hang around with some guy you like, putting your hand there would swear you thrustworthyness (? sorry for my english) to him.
Good luck for your research, anyway! Who assigned it to you must really like Roma and History.

Stan

That's a tough one. I've had tour guides in Rome a couple times and we always go past and even after watching Roman Holiday, the tour guides say, "Oh yea, that.... Ho hum."

There is a cultural significance that may be mostly American due to the move "Roman Holiday" and you can say you've been there. Also it's located at Santa Maria in Cosmedin which may have some other significance. On a larger scale, it's in Rome and that is an important travel destination.

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