The Middle Ages are considered the period in history with the most ruthless attitude towards people
The Middle Ages are considered the period in history with the most ruthless attitude towards people. For the slightest offense they were subjected to using sophisticated instruments of torture that would force people to confess to anything.
1. “Pear of Suffering”
Instrument of torture for homosexuals and not only.
This cruel tool was used to punish abortionists, liars and homosexuals. The device was inserted into the vagina of women or anus in men. When the executioner turned the screw, the “petals” opened, tearing the flesh and bringing unbearable torture to the victims. Many then died from blood poisoning.
2. Rack
The rack is the most famous instrument of medieval torture.
The victim was tied to a wooden frame by the arms and legs and the limbs were stretched in opposite directions. At first, the cartilage tissues were torn, and then the limbs were torn out. A little later, spikes were attached to the frame, which dug into the victim’s back. To intensify the pain, the thorns were smeared with salt.
3. "Catherine's Wheel"
"Catherine's Wheel".
Before tying the victim to the wheel, his limbs were broken. During rotation, the legs and arms were completely broken off, bringing unbearable torment to the victim. Some died from painful shock, while others suffered for several days.
4. Crocodile pipe
Medieval instrument of torture.
The victim's legs or face (sometimes both) were placed inside this pipe, thereby immobilizing him. The executioner gradually heated the iron, forcing people to confess to anything.
5. Copper Bull
A copper bull in which the sacrifice was placed.
The victim was placed in a copper statue of a bull, under which a fire was lit. The man died from burns and suffocation. During the torture, the screams coming from inside resembled the mooing of a bull.
6. Spanish donkey
The Spanish donkey is a cruel instrument of torture.
A wooden log in the shape of a triangle was fixed on “legs”. The naked victim was placed on top of sharp corner, which crashed straight into the crotch. To make the torture more unbearable, weights were tied to the legs.
7. Torture coffin
Iron cage for torture.
The victims were placed in metal cages, which completely immobilized them. If the torture coffins were not the right size for people, this would cause them additional torment. This death was long and painful. Birds pecked at the flesh of the victims, and the crowd threw stones at them.
8. Head crusher
Medieval torture device for crushing heads.
The unfortunate man’s head was pinched under this “cap.” The executioner slowly tightened the screws, and the upper part of the “crusher” pressed on the skull. The jaw was the first to break and teeth fell out. After this, the eyes were squeezed out, and finally, the skull was broken.
9. "Cat's Paw"
Torture instrument "cat's paw".
The "cat's paw" was used to tear the flesh down to the bones.
10. Knee crusher
Device for crushing knees.
This instrument of torture was especially popular during the Inquisition. The victim's knee was placed between the teeth. When the executioner tightened the screws, the teeth pierced the flesh and then crushed knee-joint. After such torture, it was no longer possible to stand up.
11. "Judas' Cradle"
Instrument of torture "Cradle of Judas".
One of the most brutal tortures was called the “Cradle of Judas” or “Judas’ Chair.” The victim was forcibly lowered onto an iron pyramid. The point would go straight into the anus or vagina. The resulting ruptures led to death after some time.
12. Chest “claws”
An instrument of torture for women.
This instrument of torture was used on women accused of adultery. The "claws" were heated and then pierced into the victim's chest. If a woman did not die, she would remain with terrible scars for the rest of her life.
13. "Expletive Bridle"
Punishment for grumpy women.
This peculiar iron mask was used to punish grumpy women. There could be spikes inside it, and in the hole for the mouth there was a plate that was placed over the tongue so that the victim could not speak. Usually the woman was escorted through noisy squares. The bell attached to the mask attracted everyone's attention, prompting the crowd to laugh at the one being punished.
The period in history, which we know as the Middle Ages, is rightfully considered one of the bloodiest and cruelest. For a thousand years, Europe was a place where ferocity and sophistication flourished, giving rise to a huge variety of methods of torture and execution. It must be said that in the Middle Ages, in order to get on the rack or the gallows, you did not need a compelling reason. Being rude to your neighbor? Is the ruler's name pronounced in an insufficiently reverent tone? That's it, they'll come for you soon.
And the minds of the Middle Ages were distinguished by amazing ingenuity; new methods of torture appeared incredibly often. In addition, execution for the contingent of that time was one of the reasons to laugh - public entertainment. Morality? No, such a word did not exist in those centuries. And to prove our statement clearly, we present to your attention the top 10 most horrifying and sophisticated tortures of the Middle Ages.
The name speaks for itself. This weapon was used mainly against heretics before their actual burning. "Fork" was popular in Rome, England and Italy.
The design of this weapon was a double-sided fork with a collar attached to it. The end of each fork was topped with two spikes. An engraving was also required: “I renounce.”
The collar was fastened to the suspect’s neck, as a result of which two spikes rested closely on the person’s chest, and the other two on the chin. The victim's head was completely immobilized, and this, let's face it, is not the most comfortable position. To be in this state for a long time It was very difficult, only death could end the torment of the unfortunate man.
9. Vise
Torture was used mainly to extract confessions from suspects quickly and without unnecessary hassle. Moreover, the executioners did not care whether they were sincere or were given in an insane desire to stop the “interrogation”.
The victim's fingers were placed in a special device and then gradually compressed. The peculiarity of this torture is that the time it took could go into evil infinity.
Analogue of a modern paper press. During the torture process, the unfortunate man's teeth crumbled first, then the jaw, followed by the bones of the skull. The madness did not end until, under pressure, the victim's brain began to come out through the ears.
7. Coffin of torture
The offender was placed in a coffin made of metal and left there for a set period of time, the duration of which varied depending on the crime committed. However, most often, the period of punishment ended with the death of the person.
There were always many people next to the prisoner who wanted to “accelerate” his departure to the next world. They threw stones, sticks and other heavy or sharp objects at the convict.
Yes, the one you've probably heard about. There were two main types:
- Vertical. The victim was suspended from the very ceiling with his joints turned out, the reason for which was the huge weights that were attached to his legs.
- Horizontal. The suspect's body was fixed on a rack, and then stretched with a special mechanism until the muscles and joints were torn.
5. Iron Maiden
The appearance is similar to a sarcophagus in the shape of a female figure. The insides consisted of a large number of blades and spikes. The peculiarity of their arrangement was that when a person was placed in a sarcophagus, and his body was pierced by spikes, not one of the important organs was affected. And this led to the fact that the agony of the convicted person constantly lasted unbearably long and was accompanied by terrible torment.
The first time this instrument of torture was used was in 1515, and the first prisoner died within three days.
Contemporaries of this weapon considered it quite loyal, because it did not break bones or tear ligaments. A good reason, isn't it? But the secret of this torture lay elsewhere.
First of all, the condemned person was lifted on ropes and then seated on the “cradle”. The pain was so severe that the unfortunate people often lost consciousness. However, this oversight was immediately corrected and re-implanted. Using a rope, the executioner regulated the pressure of the tip, and he also impaled the victim - either slowly or with sharp jerks.
3. Torture by rats
A very cruel, sophisticated and terrible execution was popular among the inhabitants of Ancient China. The prisoner, completely naked, was placed on the table, while being tightly tied. Then, a cage with hungry huge rats was placed on his stomach. Due to the special design of the cage, the bottom could be opened easily, which they did, but hot coals were thrown onto its upper part. They disturbed the rats, who immediately scattered around the cage in search of a way out. But the only way out was the stomach of the condemned man, which the rodents took advantage of.
2. Iron Bull
This torture was invented by the Greeks. A huge shape in the shape of a bull was cast from metal (most often brass), with a small door on the side. The person was placed inside the mold and a fire was lit under it. The “bull” was heated to such a state that the brass turned yellow and the prisoner slowly roasted.
The weapon was designed in such a way that the screams, screams and pleas of the prisoner outside were like the roar of an angry animal.
It was invented by the cunning Chinese. The method is famous throughout the world, but its glory is bitter and sad. Scientists do not rule out the fact that this method- just a legend, because practically no significant evidence was found of the use of this kind of torture.
Bamboo is known as a fast growing plant. Some of its species, growing, in particular, in China, can grow a whole meter in a day. This property became the main principle of bamboo torture.
The sprouts of this plant were sharpened with a knife, so that the result was analogous to spears. The victim was suspended parallel to the ground, above beds of young and sharp bamboo. Its sprouts pierced the skin of the unfortunate man and grew right through his abdominal cavity, because of which, death became as painful as possible.
This article outlined only ten of the most terrible tortures of that time. In fact, there were not even dozens, or hundreds, but thousands of them. different types. People then were merciless towards their own kind, whether it was a neighbor, a friend or even a relative - no one was interested. Vague, dangerous times left their mark on everyone.
Torture involves inflicting excruciating pain on a person. The most terrible and disgusting instruments of torture were invented in the Middle Ages. No less terrible eastern tortures are known.
The most terrible tortures of the Middle Ages
It is known that torture was especially cruel during the Middle Ages. Only by seeing the instruments of torture can one understand how cruel that time was. The Inquisition, as a system of Christian justice, contributed to the invention of a huge number of instruments with the help of which this “justice” was carried out. Here are some of the most terrible ones.Heretic's Fork
The device, called the Heretic's Fork, was used during the Spanish Inquiry. The mechanism looked like a double-sided fork, fixed on the neck. Since during this torture no vital important organs were not pierced, it could last quite a long time.The fork was engraved with “I renounce.” The fork caused severe pain with any head movement. Gradually, the person’s flesh was affected, and he died from infections.
Pear Torture
The instrument of torture, called the pear torture, is considered one of the most terrible. Not a single person survived her torture. 
The weapon looks like a metal pear. It was inserted into the mouth, anus and vagina. As soon as the weapon was inserted inside, it opened, tearing flesh with its sharp tips. Death during torture with such a pear was terrible. Typically, this weapon was used to torture women guilty of a depraved lifestyle and men convicted of homosexuality.
Torture by rats
Torture by rats is very scary. A cage of hungry rats was placed on a naked man's chest. The cage opened from the bottom. After the bolt was removed, the rats gnawed into the body. To make animals act faster, top part the cells contained hot coals. Wanting to escape the heat, the rats simply gnawed their way through. The person died, experiencing hellish torment.Cradle of Judas
The torture device, called the Judas Cradle, is shaped like a pyramid. A naked person was placed on its sharp part. Gradually, the device cut into the victim’s body, tearing the anus and twisting the joints. 
It is known that after such torture, only a few people survived. The rest died, screaming loudly in pain to the joy of the executioners and spectators.
The most terrible instruments of torture
The invention of instruments for torture was carried out by people who did not feel an ounce of pity for those who were to be tortured with these instruments. They knew exactly how to knock out necessary readings. The most important thing for them was to bring as much pain and torment to a person as possible, to make his death terrible and slow. It's hard to believe that human ingenuity could be used for such terrible purposes.Iron Maiden
The first torture instrument called the “Iron Maiden” was tested in 1515. Outwardly, it looks like a sarcophagus, inside of which there are many spikes and blades. They are located so as not to touch vital human organs. 
During interrogation, the tortured person was placed in such a sarcophagus. The interrogation could last for hours or even days. As soon as a person lost consciousness, he pierced the body, hanging on sharp spikes. Death did not occur immediately and could drag on for several days.
Shiri (camel cap)
This instrument of torture was usually used on slaves. First of all, the offending slave's head was shaved bald, after which the neck (flayed camel skin) was pulled over it. Then these people were taken for five days as far as possible, usually to wastelands. The camel skin dried quickly, tightening the newly shaved scalp. The hair did not grow through the neck, which is why it began to grow inward. The slaves went crazy from hellish pain and soon died.copper bull
The instrument of torture, called the “Copper Bull,” was invented by Perillus, a coppersmith from Greece. He presented his creation to the famous torturer, the Sicilian tyrant Phalaris. 
During torture, a person was placed into a bull through a special door. A fire was lit under the bull's belly. The man screamed desperately as he slowly roasted. The bones of those executed in this way were considered jewelry and amulets. The inventor Perille became the first person to be tortured using a torture device he created.
Terrible oriental torture
Eastern torture was significantly different from the torture invented by European peoples. The main thing in any Eastern torture is to force the victim to experience psychological torment, accompanied by physical torment. It must be said that eastern torture did not always end in death. 
To deal with the “enemies of the emperor” in the east, tickling torture and torture with dripping water were used. Another version of torture was a cramped box in which the person imprisoned did not have the opportunity to move any part of the body. The “man-pig” torture was used to make people horrified. The man’s legs were cut off to the knees, his arms to the elbows, his tongue was cut out, he was deafened and blinded. In this state he was sent to the pigs' barn, where he remained for the rest of his life.
Siam is known for especially terrible tortures. The man was fed cut pieces of meat and strips of skin from him. Women in the East could also be subject to torture. Those who lived in a harem and were accused of disobedience had several neat cuts made on their bodies, into which molten lead was poured.
The worst torture in the world
There are many known tortures, each of which could be called the most terrible in the world. And yet, among the tortures of all times, the most cruel is considered to be the one that the Persian queen Parysatis used on the murderer of her beloved son Cyrus the Younger. The name of this killer is Mithridates. His body was sandwiched between two wooden troughs, leaving only his head and legs outside. 
The killer's head was smeared with honey and milk, which attracted the attention of the midges. Mithridates was force-fed, because of this he constantly walked under himself. Soon worms appeared in the sewage and began to eat the man alive. Mithridates died for eighteen whole days, and the queen came every day, wanting to enjoy his torment.
Not only are tortures frightening, but also prisons. On the website there is a site where prisoners are kept.
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The term "Inquisition" comes from the Latin. Inquisitio, meaning "interrogation, inquiry." It was widespread in the legal sphere even before the emergence of medieval church institutions with this name, and meant clarifying the circumstances of a case by investigation, usually through interrogation, often with the use of force. And only over time, the Inquisition began to be understood as spiritual trials of anti-Christian heresies.
The torture of the Inquisition had hundreds of varieties. Some medieval instruments of torture have survived to this day, but most often even museum exhibits have been restored according to descriptions. Their variations are amazing. However, not only medieval Europe was famous for its cruelty.
Amateur. media has collected methods and instruments of torture both in Europe and around the world.
Chinese bamboo torture
A notorious method of terrible Chinese execution throughout the world. Perhaps a legend, because to this day not a single documentary evidence has survived that this torture was actually used.
Bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants on Earth. Some of its Chinese varieties can grow a full meter in a day. Some historians believe that the deadly bamboo torture was used not only by the ancient Chinese, but also by the Japanese military during World War II.
How it works?
1) Sprouts of living bamboo are sharpened with a knife to form sharp “spears”;
2) The victim is suspended horizontally, with his back or stomach, over a bed of young pointed bamboo;
3) Bamboo quickly grows high, pierces the skin of the martyr and grows through his abdominal cavity, the person dies for a very long time and painfully.
Iron Maiden
Like torture with bamboo, the “iron maiden” is considered by many researchers to be a terrible legend. Perhaps these metal sarcophagi with sharp spikes inside only frightened the people under investigation, after which they confessed to anything.
The “Iron Maiden” was invented at the end of the 18th century, i.e. already at the end of the Catholic Inquisition.
1) The victim is stuffed into the sarcophagus and the door is closed;
2) The spikes driven into the inner walls of the “iron maiden” are quite short and do not pierce the victim, but only cause pain. The investigator, as a rule, receives a confession in a matter of minutes, which the arrested person only has to sign;
3) If the prisoner shows fortitude and continues to remain silent, long nails, knives and rapiers are pushed through special holes in the sarcophagus. The pain becomes simply unbearable;
4) The victim never admits to what he did, then she was locked in a sarcophagus for long time, where she died from loss of blood;
5) Some Iron Maiden models had spikes at eye level to poke them out.
Skafism
The name of this torture comes from the Greek “scaphium”, which means “trough”. Scaphism was popular in ancient Persia. During the torture, the victim, most often a prisoner of war, was devoured alive by various insects and their larvae who were partial to human flesh and blood.
1) The prisoner is placed in a shallow trough and wrapped in chains.
2) He is force-fed large quantities of milk and honey, which causes the victim to have profuse diarrhea, which attracts insects.
3) The prisoner, having shit himself and smeared with honey, is allowed to float in a trough in a swamp, where there are many hungry creatures.
4) The insects immediately begin their meal, with the living flesh of the martyr as the main course.
Pear of suffering
This cruel tool was used to punish abortionists, liars and homosexuals. The device was inserted into the vagina for women or the anus for men. When the executioner turned the screw, the “petals” opened, tearing the flesh and bringing unbearable torture to the victims. Many then died from blood poisoning.
1) A tool consisting of pointed pear-shaped leaf-shaped segments is inserted into the client’s desired body hole;
2) The executioner little by little turns the screw on the top of the pear, while the “leaf” segments bloom inside the martyr, causing hellish pain;
3) After the pear is revealed completely, the offender receives internal damage, incompatible with life and dies in terrible agony, if he has not already fallen into unconsciousness.
copper bull
The design of this death unit was developed by the ancient Greeks, or, to be more precise, by the coppersmith Perillus, who sold his terrible bull to the Sicilian tyrant Phalaris, who simply loved to torture and kill people in unusual ways.
A living person was pushed inside the copper statue through a special door.
1) The victim is closed in a hollow copper statue of a bull;
2) A fire is lit under the bull’s belly;
3) The victim is roasted alive;
4) The structure of the bull is such that the cries of the martyr come from the mouth of the statue, like a bull’s roar;
5) Jewelry and amulets were made from the bones of the executed, which were sold at bazaars and were in great demand.
Torture by rats
Torture by rats was very popular in ancient China. However, we will look at the rat punishment technique developed by the leader of the 15th century Dutch Revolution, Diedrik Sonoy.
1) The stripped naked martyr is placed on a table and tied;
2) Large, heavy cages with hungry rats are placed on the prisoner’s stomach and chest. The bottom of the cells is opened using a special valve;
3) Hot coals are placed on top of the cages to stir up the rats;
4) Trying to escape the heat of hot coals, rats gnaw their way through the flesh of the victim.
Cradle of Judas
The Judas Cradle was one of the most torturous torture machines in the arsenal of the Suprema - the Spanish Inquisition. Victims usually died from infection, as a result of the fact that the pointed seat of the torture machine was never disinfected. The Cradle of Judas, as an instrument of torture, was considered “loyal” because it did not break bones or tear ligaments.
1) The victim, whose hands and feet are tied, is seated on the top of a pointed pyramid;
2) The top of the pyramid is thrust into the anus or vagina;
3) Using ropes, the victim is gradually lowered lower and lower;
4) The torture continues for several hours or even days until the victim dies from powerlessness and pain, or from blood loss due to rupture of soft tissues.
Rack
Probably the most famous and unrivaled death machine of its kind called the “rack”. It was first tested around 300 AD. e. on the Christian martyr Vincent of Zaragoza.
Anyone who survived the rack could no longer use their muscles and became a helpless vegetable.
1. This instrument of torture is a special bed with rollers at both ends, around which ropes are wound to hold the victim’s wrists and ankles. As the rollers rotated, the ropes pulled in opposite directions, stretching the body;
2. Ligaments in the victim’s arms and legs are stretched and torn, bones pop out of their joints.
3. Another version of the rack was also used, called strappado: it consisted of 2 pillars dug into the ground and connected by a crossbar. The interrogated person's hands were tied behind his back and lifted by a rope tied to his hands. Sometimes to his bound legs a log or other loads were attached. At the same time, the arms of the person raised on the rack were turned back and often came out of their joints, so that the convict had to hang on his outstretched arms. They were on the rack from several minutes to an hour or more. This type of rack was used most often in Western Europe
4. In Russia, a suspect raised on the rack was beaten on the back with a whip and “put to the fire,” that is, burning brooms were passed over the body.
5. B in some cases the executioner broke the ribs of a man hanging on a rack with red-hot pincers.
Shiri (camel cap)
A monstrous fate awaited those whom the Ruanzhuans (a union of nomadic Turkic-speaking peoples) took into slavery. They destroyed the slave's memory with a terrible torture - putting a shiri on the victim's head. Usually this fate befell young men captured in battle.
1. First, the slaves' heads were shaved bald, and every hair was carefully scraped out at the root.
2. The executors slaughtered the camel and skinned its carcass, first of all, separating its heaviest, dense nuchal part.
3. Having divided it into pieces, it was immediately pulled in pairs over the shaved heads of the prisoners. These pieces stuck to the heads of the slaves like a plaster. This meant putting on the shiri.
4. After putting on the shiri, the neck of the doomed person was chained in a special wooden block so that the subject could not touch his head to the ground. In this form they were taken away from crowded places, so that no one would hear their heartbreaking screams, and thrown there in an open field, with hands tied and feet, in the sun, without water and without food.
5. The torture lasted 5 days.
6. Only a few remained alive, and the rest died not from hunger or even from thirst, but from unbearable, inhuman torment caused by drying, shrinking rawhide camel skin on the head. Inexorably shrinking under the rays of the scorching sun, the width squeezed and squeezed the slave's shaved head like an iron hoop. Already on the second day, the shaved hair of the martyrs began to sprout. Coarse and straight Asian hair sometimes grew into the rawhide; in most cases, finding no way out, the hair curled and went back into the scalp, causing even greater suffering. Within a day the man lost his mind. Only on the fifth day did the Ruanzhuans come to check whether any of the prisoners had survived. If at least one of the tortured people was found alive, it was considered that the goal had been achieved.
7. Anyone who underwent such a procedure either died, unable to withstand the torture, or lost his memory for life, turned into a mankurt - a slave who does not remember his past.
8. The skin of one camel was enough for five or six widths.
Spanish water torture
In order to the best way To carry out this torture procedure, the accused was placed on one of the types of racks or on a special large table with a rising middle part. After the victim's arms and legs were tied to the edges of the table, the executioner began work in one of several ways. One of these methods involved forcing the victim, using a funnel, to swallow a large number of water, then they hit the swollen and arched belly.
Another form involved placing a cloth tube down the victim's throat through which water was slowly poured, causing the victim to swell and suffocate. If this was not enough, the tube was pulled out, causing internal damage, and then inserted again and the process repeated. Sometimes torture was used cold water. In this case, the accused lay naked on a table under a stream of ice water for hours. It is interesting to note that this type of torture was considered light, and the court accepted confessions obtained in this way as voluntary and given by the defendant without the use of torture. Most often, these tortures were used by the Spanish Inquisition in order to extract confessions from heretics and witches.
Spanish armchair
This instrument of torture was widely used by the executioners of the Spanish Inquisition and was a chair made of iron, on which the prisoner was seated, and his legs were placed in stocks attached to the legs of the chair. When he found himself in such a completely helpless position, a brazier was placed under his feet; with hot coals, so that the legs began to slowly fry, and in order to prolong the suffering of the poor fellow, the legs were poured with oil from time to time.
Another version of the Spanish chair was often used, which was a metal throne to which the victim was tied and a fire was lit under the seat, roasting the buttocks. The famous poisoner La Voisin was tortured on such a chair during the famous Poisoning Case in France.
GRIDIRON (Grid for Torture by Fire)
This type of torture is often mentioned in the lives of saints - real and fictitious, but there is no evidence that the gridiron “survived” until the Middle Ages and had even a small circulation in Europe. It is usually described as an ordinary metal grate, 6 feet long and two and a half feet wide, mounted horizontally on legs to allow a fire to be built underneath.
Sometimes the gridiron was made in the form of a rack in order to be able to resort to combined torture.
Saint Lawrence was martyred on a similar grid.
This torture was used very rarely. Firstly, it was quite easy to kill the person being interrogated, and secondly, there were a lot of simpler, but no less cruel tortures.
Bloody Eagle
One of the most ancient tortures, during which the victim was tied face down and his back was opened, his ribs were broken off at the spine and spread apart like wings. Scandinavian legends claim that during such an execution, the wounds of the victim were sprinkled with salt.
Many historians claim that this torture was used by pagans against Christians, others are sure that spouses caught in treason were punished in this way, and still others claim that the bloody eagle is just a terrible legend.
"Catherine's Wheel"
Before tying the victim to the wheel, his limbs were broken. During rotation, the legs and arms were completely broken off, bringing unbearable torment to the victim. Some died from painful shock, while others suffered for several days.
Spanish donkey
A wooden log in the shape of a triangle was fixed on “legs”. The naked victim was placed on top of a sharp angle that cut straight into the crotch. To make the torture more unbearable, weights were tied to the legs.
Spanish boot
This is a fastening on the leg with a metal plate, which, with each question and subsequent refusal to answer it, as required, was tightened more and more in order to break the bones of the person’s legs. To enhance the effect, sometimes an inquisitor was involved in the torture, who hit the fastening with a hammer. Often after such torture, all the bones of the victim below the knee were crushed, and the wounded skin looked like a bag for these bones.
Quartering by horses
The victim was tied to four horses - by the arms and legs. Then the animals were allowed to gallop. There were no options - only death.
Many unfortunate people throughout the history of mankind have experienced all the horrors of torture, but the worst thing is not that these terrible methods of torturing people existed. What’s worse is how sophisticated the authors of torture were, wanting to inflict maximum torture on their victims.
1. Sitting in the bathtub
The convict was seated in a tub, from which only his head protruded. Afterwards, the executioner smeared the unfortunate man’s face with milk and honey so that flies would fly to him. The victim was also given food regularly. Ultimately, the man essentially bathed in his own excrement and rotted alive, while his flesh was eaten by flies and worms.
2. Copper bull
The Copper Bull, also known as the Sicilian Bull, was designed by the ancient Greeks. It is a copper structure, hollow inside, and with a door on one side. Through the latter, a person was placed inside the bull. After the doors were closed, a fire was lit under the structure. The bull became white-hot, the victim screamed in a voice that was not his own, and these screams resembled a bull’s roar.
This was Vlad the Impaler's favorite method of torture. The stick was sharpened and driven into the ground, and the condemned man was placed on the tip. Under the weight of its own weight, the victim gradually slid down the stake and punched himself internal organs. Death did not occur immediately when impaled. Some died for three days. And this gave Vlad special pleasure. Once he executed 20 thousand people and calmly watched their torment while enjoying his meal.
4. Heretic's Fork
The torture device consists of a metal bar with forks at the ends. One end was placed under the chin, and the other on the collarbone. The fork was attached to the neck with a strap. The victims were not supposed to fall asleep. As soon as they were eaten, the head dropped, and the fork pierced the throat and chest.
A very humiliating and painful form of torture. A collar made of metal and wood was placed around the victim's neck. After this, for several days the person could not lie down, lower his head, or eat. Otherwise, sharp thorns would pierce his throat.
This is one of the most famous tortures and is still practiced in some countries to this day. It consists of tying or nailing a person’s limbs to wooden cross. After this, the unfortunate man is left hanging on fresh air without food or water, almost naked. Death as a result of crucifixion does not occur quickly. It takes several agonizing days to become exhausted.
The instrument of torture is a pyramid on high legs. The convict was placed with his crotch on the point and tied by his limbs. The man sank deeper and deeper into the cone under the weight of his own weight. At night he was removed from the pyramid and left in limbo to bleed, and the next morning the torture continued. Death occurred within a few days, and was often caused by infection - no one had ever washed the tip of the cone.
8. Sprinkler
As a rule, molten lead, boiling water, resin or hot oil were poured inside the weapon. Afterwards, the mace was attached in such a way that its contents would drip onto the victim’s stomach or eyes.
A cabinet with a hinged front wall and a huge number of spikes on the lid. A person was placed inside the maiden, and when the lid was closed, he practically could not move - every movement brought hellish pain.
10. Torture Coffin
A favorite method of torture during the Middle Ages. It consisted in the fact that the victim was placed inside a cage the size of human body. Overweight people were deliberately placed in smaller cells. The closed “coffin” was hung from a tree and left outside to be devoured by birds and animals.
There are many different types this instrument of torture, but the principle of operation of all of them is the same. The vice is intended for crushing fingers and toes, knees, and elbows. There is even a vice for the skull. During the Middle Ages, this method of torture was very popular.
12. Torture with rope
Rope is the simplest, but multifunctional instrument of torture. People have found many uses for it. The rope was used on gallows. The victims were tied to trees with ropes and left to be torn to pieces. wild animals. The rope was also used to attach the limbs of the unfortunate to horses, which were subsequently allowed to run away. different sides, and the man was torn to pieces.
13. Pear of suffering
Another terrible instrument of torture was a pear with petals that opened when the screw was tightened. The pear was inserted into the mouth or anus of the victim (for girls, often into the vagina) and the screw was tightened gradually, thereby tearing the internal organs. The victim died a long, painful death.
This is one of the most painful and terrible tortures in the Middle Ages. The weapon is a frame with ropes. The victim was tied and placed on a platform. After this, the executioner began to turn the handle, which pulled out the ropes tied to the victim’s limbs. As a result, bones broke, muscles tore, joints popped out. But even after this, the executioners continued to stretch the ropes until the victim’s limbs were torn from the body.
Huge scissors easily cut out people's tongues. The mouth was opened forcibly for the “procedure” using special stretchers.
For some, being in the same room with rats is already torture. The essence of this method is that a cage with rodents without one wall is placed on the victim’s body. After attaching the structure, it began to be heated from the other side, and the rats, trying to escape from the heat, gnawed their way to freedom through the person.
17. Torture chair
Or the Judas chair. There are from 500 to 1500 spines on its surface. The victim is held in a chair using rigid straps. Sometimes a heat source was placed under the chair. The torture chair was often used for intimidation, and it caused many to “split.”
18. Cement boots
The method was invented by the American mafia. When mafiosi executed their enemies, they poured cement into their feet. As soon as the latter hardened, the person was thrown into the river.
19. Bib tongs
Women were subjected to the same torture methods as men. But this weapon was created specifically for them. The tongs pierced the flesh and were pulled out or slowly pulled out. Death occurred as a result of severe blood loss.
20. Crocodile scissors
They were used to execute those who rebelled against the king and tried to kill the monarch. Before crushing and cutting off the victim's testicles, the scissors were heated.
A popular torture during the French Revolution. The victims are a man and a woman. They were stripped naked, tied up and left to drown in this form.
Catherine's Wheel allowed the victim to be killed excruciatingly slowly. The unfortunate man was tied to the weapon and began to slowly rotate. At this moment, the executioner struck the limbs with a hammer. When all the bones were broken, the still living victim with the wheel was lifted onto a high pole, where birds could feed on his flesh.
23. Spanish donkey
The naked victim was placed astride a structure made of wooden planks with a blade on top. Weights are tied to the martyr's limbs. The weight increases until the blade cuts through the flesh.
24. Sawing
The victim was hung upside down so that the blood would flow to the head and she would remain conscious longer. After this, the unfortunate man began to be sawed in half from the crotch. Many were cut only to the stomach in order to intensify the torment and prolong the agony.
25. Suspended, recessed, dismembered
For high treason in England during the Middle Ages, a person was hanged, drowned and quartered in public. The victim was placed in an execution frame. After this, the accused was strangled until he was half to death, castrated and his genitals were burned in front of his own eyes, and at the end they were quartered and his head was cut off.
