To hurt or kill other person in the painful and humiliating way – here the device purpose under the name "Judas's Cradle". This simple machine for tortures and punishment of apostates and state traitors was constructed in the Middle Ages and was used in Europe on blessing of Catholic church.
At the time of Inquisition of torture were almost whole profession, inquisitors constantly invented new sophisticated ways of torture of people sometimes of absolutely innocent. Inquisitors tortured not only for the sake of more effective investigation of crimes, but also for the sake of direct causing painful death to the person for the crime committed by it.
Tortures are a most ancient way of punishment or obtaining information from the person. Tortured in Ancient Egypt, Assyria, Ancient Greece.
Death pyramid
Judas's cradle which is thought up by Ippolit Marsili, perhaps, one of the most inhumane and person torture humiliating advantage. Adaptation looked as a metal or wooden pyramid on a pedestal, high in human growth, on which top place the person who is stripped naked. Wooden "device" as the tree more slowly, than metal, injured human fabric was more preferable. For balance of a hand and a leg of the alleged sinner are supported by chains which fasten to a ceiling. Could be in such position of people long enough, but then after shouts and crying the inevitable death from painful shock followed.
Alternative name of torture - "vigil". It could last for day.
Humanity mask
Sinners often fainted from pain, but brought them into themselves, and the execution continued. It is interesting that this type of torture was considered as the soft, facilitated option as did not break a bone and did not injure vitals. In such terrifying actions the priests not only were directly involved, but constantly theoretically proved to the uneducated people that these actions are lawful and fair. Only at the end of the 17th century from the beginning of intellectual revolution of an era of Modern Times, torture began to consign to the past. The ideas of humanity arising, gaining strength did not allow to repair excess over the human person. The death of Galileo Galilei accused of heresy became a last straw among great minds of that time, and they began active antireligious promotion. It does not mean that tortures any more were never applied. At the time of the 3rd Reich, for example, they were the widespread phenomenon. But also presently application of tortures, unfortunately, cannot be excluded. It is well-known that the American soldiers tortured the Syrian prisoners of war.