La Bocca della Verità (in English, "the Mouth of Truth") is a
renowned image, carved from Pavonazzetto marble, of a man-like
face; it is located in the portico of the church of Santa Maria in
Cosmedin in Rome, Italy. The sculpture is thought to be part of a
1st century ancient Roman fountain, or perhaps a manhole cover,
portraying one of several possible pagan gods.
The most famous characteristic of the Mouth, however, is its
role as a lie detector. Starting from the Middle Ages, it was
believed that if one told a lie with one's hand in the mouth of the
sculpture, it would be bitten off. The piece was placed in the
portico of the Santa Maria in Cosmedin in the 17th century.
So why the cache name?
There was a Bocca Della Verita in the Services building, and you
had to get a clue from it to get this cache on the day of the
event!
