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DM_Melkhar
Captain

PostPosted: Mon Aug 20, 2007 9:27 am


Medieval Torture

Whilst I was in Prague with my brother, we found some rather intriguing and gruesome medieval torture instruments.
I've posted some pictures of a few of them below...

Prague - Medieval Torture Instruments

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I would assume these chairs were for interrogation of some kind. OUCH!


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Prague - HeartofEurope.cz
The Head Crusher

This device dates from the Medieval period and seems to have been highly respected, especially in the area of northern Germany. Its function was quite simple: the victim´s chin was placed on a wooden or iron support and the device´s cap was then screwed down on the victim´s head. First, the victim´s teeth and jawbone would be crushed and eventually, as the pressure was increased, his brain tissue would actually begin to come out of his skull. With the passage of time this instrument lost its function as a tool for killing and became more widely used as an interrogation and torture device. In certain Latin American countries, a very similar device is still in use today, even though its cap and lower support are padded with a soft material that leaves no visible signs on its victims, but in any case renders them quite ready to cooperate after only a few turns of the screw.


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Prague - HeartofEurope.cz
The Virgin of Nuremberg

The idea of mechanizing torutre was born in Germany and it was there that the „Virgin of Nuremberg“ has its origins. It got its name from the fact that its exterior resembled a Bavarian girl, and also because its prototype was constructed and first used in the underground tunnels of the secret courthouse of Nuremberg. The condemned party was closed inside the contraption where the body of the unlucky individual was pierced by sharp spikes. The spikes were positioned in a manner so that, even though they penetrated various part of the body, they did not rupture any vital organs, ensuring a long and agonizign period of suffering. The first account of an execution with the „Virgin“ dates back to 1515 and was detailed by Gustav Freytag in his book „Binder aus der deutschen Vergangenheit“ which related the punishments inflicted on a countefeiter who survived for three days inside the „sarcophagus“ amidst terrible spasms.
 
PostPosted: Mon Aug 20, 2007 9:37 am


Well those are just a few of them.

DM_Melkhar
Captain


fariyroc

PostPosted: Mon Aug 20, 2007 10:54 pm


I've got others I can start to mention. Mostly old english and Renaissance. I'm quite familar with the three you mentioned above. The Virgin of Nuremberg, quite fascinates me. For instance, they created such a device that never touched the vital organs keeping the victim alive. The person who invented that had to have quite a high education with the body yet sources were somewhat limited back then.

The thumb screw. The victim's thumb would be placed in a screw and the screw would slowly be tightened crushing the victim's thumb. Without our thumbs its actually quite hard to do anything with our fingers. Its the most used.

The Chasity Belt. If a women was unfaithful to their parents or husbands. Or they didn't wish any unwanted sex. They had the right to put a medal underwear around them. It would be locked with a key. I'm not sure how long these were kept on though.

Another, a cage would be placed around their tummy with a rat inside. They would light the cage on fire and the rat would try to get out the only way they could. Through the person's stomach. This would result in extreme agony and usually death for the person.
PostPosted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 8:27 pm


Ouch - those all sound plent nasty! That rat one especially makes my blood chill. I can't say I know much about torture. Does anyone know what the thing is called where a huge blade swings like a pendulum slowly getting lower until it cuts you in half?

SirKirbance


DM_Melkhar
Captain

PostPosted: Sat Aug 25, 2007 12:53 pm


I looked around on google and it seems to just be called The Pendulum. Can't really find out much about it aside from that. I can't sift through every website to find it all.
PostPosted: Wed Aug 29, 2007 7:02 am


I am fascinated in tortures ways and tortures devices. I am historician so they hired me for Tortures Museum. I see these devices many times a day, and they never stop to fascinate me.

Kahinat Rackham


DM_Melkhar
Captain

PostPosted: Wed Aug 29, 2007 12:49 pm


Whilst in Prague, my brother (who's 36), got obsessed with this wooden thing. Both sides were curved, it had hinges, and in the middle were vicious spikes. It was called the "something" boot. Can't remember exactly what, but sometimes prisoners were made to wear it and if they didn't respond correctly, it was clamped tighter and tighter around their legs. OWWW!
PostPosted: Sat Sep 01, 2007 1:30 pm


I think the pendulum wasn't all that popular. When you consider the space needed. I don't even know that it was actually used. The only reference I can find is to the story "The pit and the pendulum". I believe that was Poe, but my collection is packed away so I can't check for sure.

Widigo


MsRoseLovingJo

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PostPosted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 3:32 am


I think I have heard the boot called the Spanish Boot in a book I read once?

What do you think about what Vlad, the Impaler, did as well?
PostPosted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 9:03 am


Yeah, me and my brother saw a Spanish Boot in Prague. Nasty looking thing.
>_<'

And with regards to Vlad the Impaler, the man everyone believes is Dracula, I'm not too sure. The fact that he impaled his enemies on long wooden poles (hence the name), says something though doesn't it?

DM_Melkhar
Captain


Dragoon_Arcadia
Crew

PostPosted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 10:35 am


What ever happened to go old fasioned burning at the stake, or even....putting them thought a stretching device...nasty and painful I would think.

Wasn't chinese water torture the same ? Around the same time I mean.
PostPosted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 9:24 am


I think the stretching thing was the rack... Ugh. And not only the pain in your abdomen, but can you imagine the pain in your wrists and ankles?
And there's one, drawing and quartering using four horses. I think I remember it being mentioned in my history class ... a group of Native Americans used it on one of the white settlers. What was disgusting, was when the four horses pulled, you'd have a single limb left.

Elaini Troja


DM_Melkhar
Captain

PostPosted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 11:03 am


Reminds me of the "hung, drawn and quartered" way of execution. First you were hung, then you were sliced down vertically down the middle (drawing), then across horizontally (quartering). This meant that....your innards were no longer secured and kind of...well...fell out. confused
PostPosted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 3:43 pm


Mhm medival toture is quite interesting. I'm not quite sure when they invented chinese water toture though it's one of my favourite methods because it works against the mind and eventually the body.

Sightless Wisdom
Crew


Fire_Phieonix

PostPosted: Tue May 20, 2008 9:15 pm


The chairs frighten me. eek

Have any of you seen the movie The Princess Bride? It has this one contraption that is powered by water that sucks life out of you. It sort of looks like a streching machine. The movie is good, and I highly recommend it.

I think burning at the stake was mainly used for witches though...
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