Listaholic has an interesting (though gruesome) article about the 12 most horrifying torture devices in history.
This one to the left is the Judas Chair [wiki]:
The Spanish Inquisition was said to have made use of, among other things, the Judas Chair, also known as the Judas Cradle. Victims were hoisted up by rope or chain and then made to sit on the pointed tip of the pyramid shaped device. You get the picture.
Yikes! Link
See also: This Won't Hurt a Bit: A Painlessly Short (and Incomplete) Evolution of Execution
Newest 5 Comments
Wow what nice peace loving Christians.
Abusive comment hidden.
(Show it anyway.)
people can come up with some weird things.just by looking at the picture i say that that thing has got to hurt and it looks very uncomfy.
Abusive comment hidden.
(Show it anyway.)
Ow!
Abusive comment hidden.
(Show it anyway.)
Verbatim from the quote, Mark.
Abusive comment hidden.
(Show it anyway.)
"Said to have made use of"? Hmmm. Either there's historical evidence for the use of this device or there isn't. If there were evidence for it, I suppose they wouldn't hedge with "said to have". Too many people get their notion of the Spanish Inquisition from Monty Python ...
Abusive comment hidden.
(Show it anyway.)