HISTORY'S GRUESOME METHODS OF EXECUTION

BREAKING WHEEL

Also called the Catherine Wheel, the victim would be tied to it and

then spun around as the executioner delivered bone shattering

blows to their body.

THE GRIDIRON

This basically involved broiling the victim over a bed of hot coals.

The death was not a quick one.

BLOOD EAGLE

Mentioned in some Nordic Sagas, it involved breaking the ribs of the

victims out of their chest to resemble wings and then pulling their

lungs out through the opening.

Salt would then be sprinkled on the wound.

FLAYING

This involved removing a person’s skin from their body.

Quite often it would then be hung in public for all to see.

SAWING

Used in Asia and Europe, the victim would be hung upside down and

then sawn in half starting at the groin. This would ensure that enough

blood was in the brain to keep the victim conscious until the large

vessels of the abdomen were severed.

UPRIGHT JERKER

Originating in the US, this method of capital punishment is now often

used in countries like Iran. It is similar to hanging, but instead of

being dropped from a height to sever the spinal cord,

a crane jerks them upwards.

MAZZATELLO

The victim would be led to a scaffold in a public square with

nothing more than an executioner and a coffin. The executioner

would raise a mallet and bring it down on the victim’s head. Typically

this would only stun the victim so their throat would be slit

immediately afterwards.

BESTIARII

The Romans would throw political prisoners in an arena naked

and watch as they were devoured by wild animals.

EXECUTION BY ELEPHANT

Mainly used in southeast Asia, the elephants were trained to prolong

the death of the victim and many times this method was used to show

that the ruler was even in command of nature.