More Torture

Blooding

It was once commonly believed that a witch's power could be nullified by blooding or burning her blood. Convicted witches were "scored above the breath" (slashed over the nose and mouth) and allowed to bleed. Sometimes witches blooded this way bled to death.

Burial

In Scandinavia, it was once believed "that a witch can be saved from eternal damnation if she is buried alive, seed is sown over her, and the resulting crop harvested".

Hanging Hanging was a popular way of doing away with witches, particularly in England and Salem, Massachusetts. Approximately 1000 people were hanged for witchcraft in England. Of these, about 400 were hanged over a 14-month period by Matthew Hopkins.

Cleansing the Soul

"It was often believed, in Catholic countries, that the soul of a heretic or witch was corrupted, filthy, and bedeviled by all manner of foulness. To cleanse them before punishment, sometimes the victims were forced to consume heated or scalding consumables (scalding water, fire brands, coals, even soaps). The modern day 'washing the mouth out with soap' is a direct descendant."

Knotting

This form of torture was specific to women. It involved tying a stick into a woman's hair and twisting it tighter and tighter. When the Inquisitor no longer had the strength to twist, he would hold the victim's head or fasten it in a holding device until burly men could take over the chore.

Not only would the hair be ripped out, but the scalp would often be torn open, exposing the skull-cap.

As expected, only women with thick or long hair were chosen for this torture. Reports exist of this torture being used in Germany against Gypsies (1740s-1750s) and in Russia as late as the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917-1918.

Stoning Stoning is well-documented as a punishment from Biblical times onward.

The Whip In the Netherlands, the torture of the whip was applied by children so they could learn to become executioners themselves some day.

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Information and photographs in this virtual exhibition proceed from the book Torture instruments; a bilingual guide to the exhibition Torture Instruments form the Middle Ages to the Industrial Era presented in various cities in the world in 1983-2000.