List: Medieval Torture Devices | Curated by ☽⛧☾𝔏𝔲𝔠𝔦𝔣𝔢𝔯𝔞 𝔅𝔞𝔭𝔥𝔬𝔪𝔢𝔱𝔲𝔰☽⛧☾

May 9, 2024
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Medieval Torture Devices
☽⛧☾𝔏𝔲𝔠𝔦𝔣𝔢𝔯𝔞 𝔅𝔞𝔭𝔥𝔬𝔪𝔢𝔱𝔲𝔰☽⛧☾
BoilingDeath by boiling is a method of execution in which a person is killed by being immersed in a boiling liquid. While not as common as other…
May 9, 2024
May 9, 2024
☽⛧☾𝔏𝔲𝔠𝔦𝔣𝔢𝔯𝔞 𝔅𝔞𝔭𝔥𝔬𝔪𝔢𝔱𝔲𝔰☽⛧☾
KeelhaulingKeelhauling (Dutch kielhalen; “to drag along the keel”) is a form of punishment and potential execution once meted out to sailors at sea…
May 9, 2024
May 9, 2024
☽⛧☾𝔏𝔲𝔠𝔦𝔣𝔢𝔯𝔞 𝔅𝔞𝔭𝔥𝔬𝔪𝔢𝔱𝔲𝔰☽⛧☾
Cucking stoolDucking stools or cucking stools were chairs formerly used for punishment of disorderly women, scolds, and dishonest tradesmen in medieval…
May 9, 2024
May 9, 2024
☽⛧☾𝔏𝔲𝔠𝔦𝔣𝔢𝔯𝔞 𝔅𝔞𝔭𝔥𝔬𝔪𝔢𝔱𝔲𝔰☽⛧☾
Iron ChairAn iron chair is a torture device that has several different variations depending on its origin and use throughout history. It is also…
May 9, 2024
May 9, 2024
☽⛧☾𝔏𝔲𝔠𝔦𝔣𝔢𝔯𝔞 𝔅𝔞𝔭𝔥𝔬𝔪𝔢𝔱𝔲𝔰☽⛧☾
Spanish BootThe term boot refers to a family of instruments of torture and interrogation variously designed to cause crushing injuries to the foot…
May 7, 2024
May 7, 2024
☽⛧☾𝔏𝔲𝔠𝔦𝔣𝔢𝔯𝔞 𝔅𝔞𝔭𝔥𝔬𝔪𝔢𝔱𝔲𝔰☽⛧☾
PilloryThe pillory is a device made of a wooden or metal framework erected on a post, with holes for securing the head and hands, used during the…
May 7, 2024
May 7, 2024
☽⛧☾𝔏𝔲𝔠𝔦𝔣𝔢𝔯𝔞 𝔅𝔞𝔭𝔥𝔬𝔪𝔢𝔱𝔲𝔰☽⛧☾
Heretic’s ForkThe heretics fork was used in the Middles Ages mainly during the Spanish Inquisition. The instrument consists of two forks set against each…
May 7, 2024
May 7, 2024
☽⛧☾𝔏𝔲𝔠𝔦𝔣𝔢𝔯𝔞 𝔅𝔞𝔭𝔥𝔬𝔪𝔢𝔱𝔲𝔰☽⛧☾
Head CrusherThis metal device featured a plate that sat below the victim’s jaw, which was connected by a frame to the head cap. As the torturer slowly…
May 6, 2024
May 6, 2024
☽⛧☾𝔏𝔲𝔠𝔦𝔣𝔢𝔯𝔞 𝔅𝔞𝔭𝔥𝔬𝔪𝔢𝔱𝔲𝔰☽⛧☾
CrucifixionCrucifixion is a method of capital punishment in which the condemned is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross, beam or stake and left to…
May 6, 2024
May 6, 2024
☽⛧☾𝔏𝔲𝔠𝔦𝔣𝔢𝔯𝔞 𝔅𝔞𝔭𝔥𝔬𝔪𝔢𝔱𝔲𝔰☽⛧☾
Breast RipperThe breast ripper, known in another form as the Iron Spider or simply the Spider, was supposedly a torture instrument used on women…
May 6, 2024
May 6, 2024
☽⛧☾𝔏𝔲𝔠𝔦𝔣𝔢𝔯𝔞 𝔅𝔞𝔭𝔥𝔬𝔪𝔢𝔱𝔲𝔰☽⛧☾
ThumbscrewThe thumbscrew is a torture instrument which was first used in early modern Europe. It is a simple vise, sometimes with protruding studs on…
May 6, 2024
May 6, 2024
☽⛧☾𝔏𝔲𝔠𝔦𝔣𝔢𝔯𝔞 𝔅𝔞𝔭𝔥𝔬𝔪𝔢𝔱𝔲𝔰☽⛧☾
Rat TortureBeing in an enclosure with rats is torture enough; but apparently, this is not enough for medieval times. A cheap and one of the most…
May 6, 2024
May 6, 2024
☽⛧☾𝔏𝔲𝔠𝔦𝔣𝔢𝔯𝔞 𝔅𝔞𝔭𝔥𝔬𝔪𝔢𝔱𝔲𝔰☽⛧☾
Iron maidenThe iron maiden is a mythical torture device, consisting of a solid iron cabinet with a hinged front and spike-covered interior…
May 6, 2024
May 6, 2024
☽⛧☾𝔏𝔲𝔠𝔦𝔣𝔢𝔯𝔞 𝔅𝔞𝔭𝔥𝔬𝔪𝔢𝔱𝔲𝔰☽⛧☾
Coffin TortureThe period of time a victim was to be kept inside the coffin was determined by his or her crime. Very serious crimes, such as blasphemy…
May 6, 2024
May 6, 2024
☽⛧☾𝔏𝔲𝔠𝔦𝔣𝔢𝔯𝔞 𝔅𝔞𝔭𝔥𝔬𝔪𝔢𝔱𝔲𝔰☽⛧☾
Brazen BullThe brazen bull, also known as the bronze bull, Sicilian bull, or bull of Phalaris, was a torture and execution device designed in ancient…
May 6, 2024
May 6, 2024
☽⛧☾𝔏𝔲𝔠𝔦𝔣𝔢𝔯𝔞 𝔅𝔞𝔭𝔥𝔬𝔪𝔢𝔱𝔲𝔰☽⛧☾
The RackThe rack is a torture device consisting of a rectangular, usually wooden frame, slightly raised from the ground, with a roller at one or…
May 6, 2024
May 6, 2024
☽⛧☾𝔏𝔲𝔠𝔦𝔣𝔢𝔯𝔞 𝔅𝔞𝔭𝔥𝔬𝔪𝔢𝔱𝔲𝔰☽⛧☾
The Pear of Anguish
Dec 27, 2022
Dec 27, 2022
☽⛧☾𝔏𝔲𝔠𝔦𝔣𝔢𝔯𝔞 𝔅𝔞𝔭𝔥𝔬𝔪𝔢𝔱𝔲𝔰☽⛧☾
The Wheel of TortureJean Calas, a French protestant cloth merchant from Toulouse in southern France, is broken on the wheel before being strangled and burned…
Oct 19, 2022
Oct 19, 2022
☽⛧☾𝔏𝔲𝔠𝔦𝔣𝔢𝔯𝔞 𝔅𝔞𝔭𝔥𝔬𝔪𝔢𝔱𝔲𝔰☽⛧☾
The Judas CradleThe Judas Cradle, a macabre invention, involved lowering victims onto a sharp, pyramid-shaped seat. Suspended above the ground, the…
Oct 19, 2022
Oct 19, 2022