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LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Licence
Buy this image as a print
BuyLicense this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library
LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
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Buy this image as a print
BuyLicense this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library
LicenseBoot, of riveted iron sheet, to hold boiling oil
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Boot, of rivetted iron sheet, to hold boiling oil
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Boot, of riveted iron sheet, to hold boiling oil, for torture purposes probably English, 16th to 17th centuries
Boiling oil or water was held in this huge boot during torture. It is made of riveted iron sheet and this form of torture is sometimes called ‘foot roasting’. The boot was filled with a cold liquid and then heated with the foot inside until scalding. This may explain why the sole of this boot is so worn. The torturer could also pour boiling oil or water straight into the boot. Torture was commonly used in England during the Middle Ages and well beyond. It was considered a legitimate way of extracting information from prisoners.
Details
- Category:
- Wellcome (general)
- Collection:
- Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
- Object Number:
- A27366
- Materials:
- iron
- Measurements:
-
overall: 260 mm x 130 mm x 390 mm,
- type:
- torture equipment
- credit:
- Wellcome Trust (Purchased from Stevens)
