Consider yourself lucky if you are reading this, you most likely not to have lived in a society with extreme judgements, sentences, and punishments.
Back in the good old days if you did something wrong, for example stole a goat, chicken, Adultery, you were pretty much assured being handed a death sentence.
In those days there was no hanging around on Death Row, contemplating the errors of your ways whilst waiting for some form of humane, painless death.
Executions in the ancient history seems to be so barbaric and devices used were built with careful engineering to push the guilty to feel extreme and prolonged pain before death.
The forms of execution listed below really are so barbaric that you might question your faith in human nature.



Source: http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/11/the-allure-of-execution/380803/

http://www.liststack.com/history/10-brutal-execution-torture-devices

http://www.historyrundown.com/10-most-cruel-execution-methods-of-all-time/

http://www.planetdeadly.com/human/horrific-forms-execution
cc: lalasticlala, obinoscopy, dominique, mynd44

1. Blowing from the gun.



With the invention of the cannon came this wonderfully imaginative way of executing enemy combatants. The basic method was to tie the unfortunate victim to the barrel of a cannon and fire it. Horrific as this sounds I imagine it was pretty quick. It also sounds like cleaning up wasn’t too bad as most of the body was obliterated. Here is a description from the time:

“When the gun is fired, his head is seen to go straight up into the air some 40 or fifty feet; the arms fly off right and left, high up in the air, and fall at, perhaps, a hundred yards distance.”

It was carried out by many of the European colonial nations from the 16th century but it is the British who took to most enthusiastically. It was used in India during the 1857 rebellion against both mutineers and deserters.

Just on time.

My favorite is the guillotine. Quick and elegant

2. Gibbeting.


Gibbeting was the act of encasing the victim in a metal cage hung from the arm of a gallow. It was used for two reasons; firstly to display the rotting mutilated bodies of executed criminals to serve as a warning or in other cases as the actual method of execution. The prisoner would die from either thirst, starvation, exposure to sun or not being able to scratch an annoying itch somewhere. It seems that using it as an actual method of putting to death was phased out in Britain in the 1700s.

Kingsasian:
Just on time.

The network you use deserves a place on one of explorers "fastest network" threads

3. Burying Alive.


One of the most painful method on the list, this one fills with abject terror. It seems to have been very popular in ancient times with one source reporting 400,000 being buried in one go in 2nd century BC China, and this wasn’t an isolated case. The Romans were also fond of this method, not only reserving it for their enemies, but famously for any Vestal Virgin who failed to maintain her vow of celibacy.

hahn:


The network you use deserves a place on one of explorers "fastest network" threads

LOL .

The heart of man is indeed desperately wicked

Expl0rers & research/educative post are like Mynd44 & closing of threads, they are inseparable. Fayaron Baba, telus something

4. Sawing.


Sawing in the half was an incredibly cruel execution method, used mostly in the Medieval Europe. During the process, the criminal would be hung upside-down from a tree or gallows, and a large saw would be then used to slice his or her body in half, starting with the crotch, all the way to the chest and head. While some victims were cut completely in half, most of them were only sliced up to their abdomen, prolonging their agony.
Because the victims were hung upside-down, the brain was receiving sufficient blood flow to keep them alive and concious until the saw finally reached the main arteries in the abdomen. In extreme cases, the execution could last several hours.

5. Boiling/Cooking.


Anyone who has burnt their finger in the kitchen will know how much this hurts.
The liquid used could be water, oil, tar, acid, wax, wine or even molten lead. While not as common as many previous methods of execution, in the past, boiling to deathhas been practised in many parts of Europe and Asia. Death was caused by severe scalding caused by the boiling liquid, gradually destroying the skin, fatty tissues, exposed muscles and eventually forming breaches in major arteries and veins. An alternative to boiling was performed using a large shallow pan, containing boiling oil, tar or lead, effectively frying the person to death. During the reign of King Henry VIII, this was a punishment especially reserved for poisoners.

6. Torn Apart.


Being torn limb from limb, or quartering, was another popular method of execution with a long history. It involves the condemned being attached to more than one moveable objects or animals(Horses esp)which will then depart in opposite directions tearing the person apart in the process. In its classic form this generally involved the person being chained to four horses which then set off in opposite directions. This often didn’t go smoothly and deaths could be agonisingly slow as limbs failed to be ripped off.

7. Brazen Bull.


A bull made of brass is used to roast the live victim inside. A door is provided to place the victim inside the chamber and the bull is started to heat up at the bottom. And then the victim will be roasted alive until his flesh melts from his body. This bull also designed to amplify the sounds of the screaming victim and make them sounds like a bellowing bull.

8. Impalement.


Impalement on a pole was one of the most gruesome methods of execution, often used during the Middle Ages. Criminal was be forced to sit on a thick, sharpened wooden/Iron pole. The pole was then slowly raised upright and the criminal was left to gradually slide further down the pole only by his or her own weight. The pole then emerged through victim’s chest, shoulder, neck and through the head. It could take more than three days for a person to finally die, in slow and painful way.

Impalement was especially prevalent in 15th century Romania, during the reign of Vlad Dracula, commonly known as Vlad the Impaler. He reportedly executed more than 80,000 people this way, and often enjoyed having a meal while watching them die.

What a way to kill a person.

9. Gillotine.


This form of execution seems to be ruthless but take a close look you will realize this form of execution was less barbaric than the others. Placed a Razor blade above the head of the guilt, this device was designed to grant death instantly by beheading them without pushing them to experience ultimate agony.

O boi...sawing and impalement Na hin fear me lass

But I go like try am on top chicken 4 xmas o

thank God for civilization.... gush Wat a horrible way to die

Super gory!

10. Flaying.

Skinning alive, also known as flaying, was one of the most gruesome execution methods ever conceived, especially prevalent during the classical antiquity. It was used mostly on captured soldiers and dangerous criminals.
In most used method of flaying, person’s hands were tied above his or her head, while the executioner gradually cut off all the skin using a very knife, starting at the face. Often, attempts were made to keep the skin intact and a professional executioner will do everything to keep his victims alive as long as possible for prolonged agony.


Image: Flaying of a corrupt judge(Italy, 1657).

Exmarte:
O boi...sawing and impalement Na hin fear me lass

But I go like try am on top chicken 4 xmas o

Aint that Animal Cruelty,fool!

PunterTim:
Aint that Animal Cruelty,fool!

what is animal cruelty pls? Enlighten me

11. Feed to Animals.


Another extremely popular method of killing with the ancients was throwing to the animals. The advantages are obvious; no weapons are needed, it’s entertaining and the mess is cleaned up. This form of execution could take many forms, the first method was probably just a pit with some vicious animals. Of course it is the Romans who took this to the next level and turned it into a spectator sport. Early Christians were the victims of choice and lions the beast of choice. However, more exotic animals such as crocodiles, hyenas and bears were also introduced.

12. Execution by sawing in China(18th century).



In the Chinese version of this execution method, the sawing would begin at the top of the head, with the victim standing upward, causing immediate death after few seconds.

13. Death by a Thousand Cuts(Ling Chi).



Originally from China, this was one of the most brutal execution methods ever fashioned. It was in use roughly from the year 900, until it was banned in 1905. It was a punishment reserved only for the harshest of crimes, such as treason and fratricide. During this procedure, sharp knife was used to kill the criminal, gradually removing portions of his flesh over a long period of time.

The victim was tied to a wooden frame, usually in a public place.. The flesh was then sliced from the body, at first only from victim’s breasts and thigs. Then his limbs were gradually amputated, followed by ears, nose and genitals. After 10-20 minutes, victim was decapitated or stabbed to the heart. During the execution,opium was sometimes administered as an act of mercy.

Explorers:
13. Death by a Thousand Cuts(Ling Chi).



Originally from China, this was one of the most brutal execution methods ever fashioned. It was in use roughly from the year 900, until it was banned in 1905. It was a punishment reserved only for the harshest of crimes, such as treason and fratricide. During this procedure, sharp knife was used to kill the criminal, gradually removing portions of his flesh over a long period of time.

The victim was tied to a wooden frame, usually in a public place.. The flesh was then sliced from the body, at first only from victim’s breasts and thigs. Then his limbs were gradually amputated, followed by ears, nose and genitals. After 10-20 minutes, victim was decapitated or stabbed to the heart. During the execution,opium was sometimes administered [size=30pt]as an act of mercy[/size].

These people were mean

Gruesome...... Holy judas

14. Rack.


This device pushes the victim to experience ultimate pain by dislocating the limbs in their body. The victims hand will be tied to the device in one end while the legs in the other end. Then the torturers went on to turn the lever which in turn dislocate the limbs of the victim. However the torturers continue to rotate the lever until the limbs completely separates from the body.

15. Hanged, Drawn and Quartered.



Another English speciality was the three staged spectacle of hanging, drawing and quartering. This was reserved for the most serious of crimes, high treason, and was considered the very pinnacle of execution in the Middle Ages.
The process began with the prisoner being placed on a wooden frame and dragged through the streets to the place of execution. On arrival they would be placed on the gallows and hung until close to death. Whilst still alive they would be cut open and disembowelled, often have their private parts cut off and then be beheaded. But that wasn’t the end of it. Now they were quartered, i.e. cut into four pieces which could be put on display asa warning to others.
The last time this sentence was passed was in 1820.

Who were the people that thought of these things and performed them? Very fcked up of them.

mehn, dat ling chin shit almost pulled tears from my eyes.....ve always known Chinese ppl were cruel from dere serial dramas

Explorer! what have you done this afternoon, I couldn't even read it again I just look at the picture and scroll down.