Iron Maiden, in Miniature

Feel the need for a little acupuncture? Too bad this Iron Maiden isn’t life size! But at 4 7/8 by 1 1/2 inches (not counting wood stand) this bronze torture chamber will comfortably fit your finger.

“The Iron Maiden was an upright sarcophagus with spikes on the inner surfaces. Double doors opened on the front, allowing entrance for the victim. In one example, eight spikes protruded from one door, 13 from the other. Once the victim was inside, the doors were closed. There, the strategically placed spikes would pierce several vital organs. However, they were relatively short spikes, so the wounds wouldn’t be instantly fatal. Instead, the victim would linger and bleed to death over several hours [source: Kellaway]. To add to the abject horror of it all, two spikes were positioned specifically to penetrate the eyes.” (The History of Torture and Execution: From Early Civilization Through Medieval Times to the Present By Jean Kellaway) There are eleven spikes in each door, and one existing spike in the head, in this example.

“In the 1800s, researchers found one in a castle in Nuremberg, Germany, and documented proof of its use later surfaced. For this reason, this device is sometimes known as the Iron Maiden of Nuremberg. Other names included The Virgin and, in German, Jungfer. A variation found in Spain was made to look like the Virgin Mary, and had machinery that, when manipulated, caused her to ‘hug’ the victim close to her spikes.” [source: Innes]. The History of Torture by Brian Innes. (UEZ-MH)