Judas Chair
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Image:Fomfr judas cradle.jpg The Judas Chair, also known as the Judas Cradle, was allegedly a torture device used by the Spanish Inquisition.
The Judas Chair was a pyramid-shaped seat. The victim was placed on top of it, with the point inserted into their anus or vagina, then very slowly lowered by ropes. The intended effect was to stretch the orifice over a long period of time, sort of a slow motion impalement.
A similar construction was used as a military corporal punishment in Prussia, known as ?horse.
In Italian it was the culla di Giuda, in German the Judaswiege, and the French broke from tradition and called it la veille - "the wake" or "nightwatch".
The victim is usually naked on this device, adding to the humiliation already endured.