Some Common Myths Thought to be True - Myth 4
Myth 4: Iron Maidens were used for Torture in Middle Ages
An iron maiden is a presumed torture device,
consisting of an iron cabinet with a hinged front and spike-covered interior,
sufficiently tall to enclose a human being. It is believed to be fictional,
although examples have been created for display.
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Iron Maiden | |
The most famous iron maiden was that of Nuremberg, first displayed possibly as
far back as 1802. The original was lost in the Allied bombing of Nuremberg in
1944. A copy "from the Royal Castle of Nuremberg," crafted for public display,
was sold through J. Ichenhauser of London to the Earl of Shrewsbury in 1890
along with other torture devices, and, after being displayed at the World's
Columbian Exposition, Chicago, 1893, was taken on an American tour. This copy
was auctioned in the early 1960s and is now on display at the Medieval Crime
Museum, Rothenburg ob der Tauber.
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