Humanity knows many examples of atrocities that occurred in the era of the Middle Ages. Iron Virgo (torture) is a device, allegedly used in the Middle Ages for the execution or to unleash the languages \u200b\u200bof non-sensitive heretics. Was it really? Tell me.
Design
In rare sources, it is described that the "iron virgin" (torture cannon) looked like a vertical hollow coffin with one or two doors. The inner walls are littered with rows of sharp spikes or rods from the very top to Niza.
Masters who made this cabinet of death often gave him the outline of a woman. Perhaps hinting at the death itself, which makes a person in his arms, and perhaps there are erotic notes here. Therefore, the device is more reminiscent of sarcophagus with spikes. When was the device applied?
Application
Whether the "iron virgin" (torture) used medieval executioners and inquisitors, it is not reliably known. There is a high probability that its existence is obliged to the Mysteries of the XVIII-XIX century. This is confirmed by at least the fact that not a single device dated to the VI-XV century was found. The most famous copy of Nuremberg is made approximately in the XVI century. Unfortunately, he was lost during the bombardment in 1944.
Doors closed slowly. One of them could be opened so that the executioner was able to check the state of the victim. In order to the torture, did not experience strong discomfort from the screams and the shadows of the executed, the walls of the "Iron Virgin" were rather thick. The spikes were included in the soft tissue tissue fabrics, piercing hands, legs, buttocks, shoulders, belly. Death has occurred very soon. Judges could continue interrogations for some time. In addition, the torment was executed by the closure of space.
Ancient analog
Ancient writers left records of such a device that used the ruler Sparta Tiran Nabis. The mechanical device, according to the descriptions, was performed in the form of a luxuriously dressed woman with a face - a full copy of the face of his wife Aport.
Nuremberg design
Let's return to the most famous example of the device torture - "Nuremberg V.". She was also called "Iron Virgin", translated from the English "Iron Miden". By the way, hence the name of the famous rock band appeared. And "Nuremberg Val" it is called because the first copy was built in the city with the corresponding name. What was a torture torture?
Description of "Iron Virgin":
- design height - 7 feet;
- cabinet in the form of a figure of a woman with the image of the Lick of the Virgin Mary;
- the location of the rods and long nails inside the creepy cabinet was calculated so as not to hook the vital bodies of the convict.
Thus, the torment lasted many hours, and even days. It was completed by the fact that the bottom of the design was moved away, and the corpse was thrown into the river.
Exposing myth
The Russian researcher of the Middle Ages, a teacher of RGGU Maria Eliferova, questioned the very fact of the existence of the Iron Virgin (torture torture) during the inquisition - a period called by historians "Middle Ages". No written document was found, which described the use of sarcophagus, covered from inside long nails. Believe me, the remaining methods of executions and interrogations inquisition documented extremely scrupulously.
There are no mentions even in art books, up to the end of the 18th century. The main argument against this myth is the price of the question. Then handheld work was used, and the stamping of large, complex, expensive products would hit the treasury of the Inquisition.
Through the terrible courts, no one tens of thousands of heretics, witches, sorcerers, etc., was the witch, if there are many proven and simple ways to unleash the languages \u200b\u200b"wicked"? For example, a very common type of torture during the rapidness of the Inquisition. But the creators of the myth did not come to mind to mind. After all, the metals were already produced industrially, and iron was abound.
All well-known museum exhibits are only copies of one Nuremberg instance, which has already been mentioned above. The original "Iron Virgin" (torture torture) was lost. Yes, and she was created at the beginning of the XIX century, just at the height of fashion on all sorts of "medieval horror". "Quite by chance" at this time, Europe captured a boom of sadomasochist sex. No wonder the torture instrument is made in the form of a virgin as a symbol of innocence. Spikes inside it actuate the symbol of sadism.
But within this fatal woman, no one would like to be! Iron Verva (she is the Nuremberg Lady, although invented it long before this city appeared) is one of the most terrible, slowest and painful, which are only known to humanity. With her, perhaps, you can only compare or stay on! ..
Outside, it is like two drops of water like a sarcophagus - in such ancient Egyptians they once buried their own. That's just in this iron coffin, having women's outlines, you will not find any mummies. Apart from sharp spikes that the inner surface is terrible home, it is empty: the torture instrument was intended for living people, to explore them on a piece of sale as it should ruthlessly send to the last path.
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The prototype of the Iron Virgin, according to the ancient scrolls, invented the Lord Sparta named Name. Apparently, he was so inspired by his own wife (Alega), that he created - or commanded to create - according to her image and likeness a mechanical woman. When someone approached her, unfortunate, he did not suspect himself, pressed on the pedal, leading a mechanism into action by its weight, and a beautiful artificial lady put him in his arms. And her hands, like the chest, were covered with thin spines. Such a simple way, the king was engaged in extortion of money from his own subordinates. Corruption, which is called, in the flesh. Fali expected death.
Despite this, initially the main goal of the Iron Virgin was torture: most of the models had holes instead of spikes - long nails were surrounded there. In this principle of its action partially reminds. Much later, already past the period of the Middle Ages, the tormentors lengthened the spikes: after the declarations of the victim began to follow the execution. The doors of the Nuremberg Lady (the most famous was just in this city, it was built already in the 16th century) for several hours were not closed to the end. The executioners wanted to be interrogated, in addition to pain, suffered from claustrophobia. Calculate out a man could not. In truth, he could never move once again: the spikes dug into the soft parts of the body - shoulders, belly, legs, even in the eyes - and tightly kept him in place. Any movement only aggravated flour.
I would like to say that this exhibit did not live to the present day, preserved only in films and museums - in Kibiburg, for example, but, unfortunately, it is not. In 2003, one of these "virgins" found in Iraq. It was used by the supporters of Saddam Hussein for reprisals with his enemies. Who knows where and for what purposes the iron lady is used right now ...
Technical description
Artistic description
Nuremberg Deva.
Nuremberg Virgo, also called Iron (Eng. Iron Maiden), is one of the most painful torture instruments.
The appearance of "Iron Virgin" is often attributed to the era of the Middle Ages, although there is reason to believe that in fact the weapon was invented not earlier than the end of the XVIII century. Nuremberg is called it, because the most famous copy was built in this city.
Initially, there was an option for torture, with holes instead of spikes, through which long nails were surveyed alternately, but later he was transformed and modified.
The design of the "Iron Virgin" is a female appearance of sarcophagus height of 7 feet, with a truly monstrous filling. At the top, the Inquisitors were placed the Lick of the Virgin Mary - the triumph of the Christian religion over heresy and dissent. The person placed inside suffered from an inexpressible fear, while in a closed space and underwent hell pain from punctures with spikes long at 20 cm. The location of them was carefully thought out and vital organs did not hurt, which stretched the criminal flour for a long time. The tipped is in hand, legs, belly, eyes, shoulders and buttocks. The repeated opening-closing of the doors applied deep bleeding wounds, and darkness and the unknownness made torture psychologically unbearable.
In the finals of the bloodthirsty violence, the movable bottom lowered and the dead body was reset into the river.
Interesting fact:
The way the execution of iron arms as such was invented much earlier than another Spartan king of a host. He constructed an iron copy of the Aport's own wife, who came to the help when he could not convince the subordinates to give money to his eloquence. Hands and chest of this fatal woman were covered with thin needles and in her company debtors accounted for disadvantage.
Artistic description
But the same iron virgin, which goes so many rumors about. It looks like an ancient Egyptian sarcophagus, as you are correctly noticed. With one difference - a living person is usually placed there.
Doors open, demonstrating the inner walls of the "Virgin", which are littered with long iron spikes. The convict is forced to enter inside. It can stand in full growth - there is enough space. It remains to close the doors. You say sharp spikes stick it, and he will die quickly? Experienced Inquisitors have provided it, and they have placed them in such a way that the vital bodies of the victim are not affected. The shrill cry merges with the pitched knocking of lockable sash. A man is experiencing a monstrous pain. Ten wound wounds applied at the same time. Two in the shoulders, two in the lower back, three in the chest, one in each buttock, and one more in the stomach. The spikes lock the wounds, and blood flows out of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Suffering exacerbates closed space and darkness. The heretic can not fall, and every sharp movement in any direction only deepens the punctures. Sometimes executioners open and close the sash several times. As a rule, after the third-fourth discovery, the body of executed falls to the bottom of the box.
By the way, did you notice that the barrel-shaped camera is crowned with the sculptural head of the Virgin Mary? When the heretic, or the pagan enters its dark womb, it symbolizes that the Holy sends him to the Catholic faith, and let go of all sins. It is said that bodily flour cleans the soul.
When it comes to the most painful medieval torture, then at the mention of this "Cabinet" with the face of a woman just the blood in the veins is fastened. "Iron Maiden" - so called a kind of sarcophagus with sharp spikes inside. That's just placed there not a mummy, but a living person.
The Iron Virgo was so painful that some historians doubt its use in fact, except as the intimidation tool. However, at the end of the 19th and early twentieth centuries, documentary evidence of the application of the Iron Virgin was found. That's just invented it not in the Middle Ages (since the church was a thorough account of all the types of torture used), but much later, at about the late XVIII century.
Unfortunate was placed in an iron closet with sharp spikes sticking inside. When the door was locked up, the 20-centimeter spikes stuck right into the body of the victim, and they were located in such a way that they did not hurt the vital organs. Pierced hands, legs, shoulders, belly, buttocks and eyes. The execution could last for hours, since the spikes were locked in wounds, and blood was slowly. The closed space only aggravated the mortality of the victim, causing additionally claustrophobia.
At the top of the creepy sarcophague, the Lick of the Virgin Mary, who personified the celebration of the Christian church over heretics was located.