Creativity of cultural europe

It sure did suck being the accused one before the medieval court, as they had means and will to use them to get out any confession wanted. Like - I'm a witch and have been in intercourse with the Devil since the age of 8. And so on. Pics are bit low quality, bad lighting.

What's that? It's something for the people who were deemed too short. hands were cuffed to one end and weights were attached to ankles lengtening the body. Helping it was the crank seen on the other end.

Graphical illustration of the process. This process is pretty painful and usually resulted in damaged bones.

This chair was used in court, for the accused person to sit in. If he/she didn't confess fast enough those tightening screws seen were used.

Why are the women always depicted nude? To add more humiliation? Anyway this is typical court of the time.

The Maltese shoe. Leg was put in it and the the screw tightened until something broke and I tell ya, it wasn't the shoe.

The bench of water procedures. The person in it was put in it, legs up, and he/she was forced to drink excessive amounts of water, or poured full of it. And then the stomach was beaten with sticks.

Graphical illustration of this procedure. It's wasn't nearly as pleasant as visiting a spa.

This thingie was used to hang people up by their hands - hands behind back and then lifted up.

This is very interesting device - body in this forced position soon started to have cramps, being very hard on muscles and very painful - people were usually left in it for a very long, and I mean long, time.

Now this is something that has a lot of thoughts put in - clear sign that people had too much free time at hand. The poor fellow was hanged upside down not to make the sawing easier, but keep the brain supplied with blood as long as possible, making it possible to saw the fellow in half up to neck.

The Anchor - used to fix the legs and head, forcing the body into unnatural position, in prison for years, so that the body suffers in cramps and is eventually mutilated.

The precedessor of electronic bracelet - the shoe of shame, so everybody would hear the bearer and point fingers on him/her. It was used on light crimes, like spitting and using foul language.

Another type of seat for the accused person in court of law.

Masks of shame. There were 2 main types of these - the ones with thorns inside, and the ones without.

The grill. Fellow was cuffed on it and the fire made below it. Really gross BBQ.

I really woulnd't like to comment on that, but as seen the weights were used to get faster results, sometimes.

The Spanish Caress. An interesting tool was used to rip chunks out of the hanged up person.

That is the tool.

Precedessors of rubber baton - riot control tools.

The Wheel of Misfortune. Used to break bones and mangle limbs.

Interesting idea, oriental origin.

The cross.

Iron Maiden. It had thorns inside, not a very nice place to be in.

The Pear. It was inserted into body cavity, like mouth or other, and using the turning screw it was widened, causing pain, until something broke. And it wasn't the metal that gave up.

The neck screw. The cuff was around the neck and tightening the screw enough caused suffocation. It was used as a tool of execution, or getting the confession.

Something I don't have the picture as I didn't get it - bad lighting, it was behind the glass. It was a special headware, stuffing a ball in the mouth and had metal frame to keep it fixed. It was used on witches while they were burned, so their screams wouldn't be heard over the churchbells and songs. Giordano Bruno had custom made model with 2 thorns - one sticking trough tongue and out of lower jaw, other straight up through the roof of the mouth and into nose cavity.