Dungeons and the torture that was carried out in them has always been the more sinister part of history.  The methods that were used to extract information from prisoners was wide ranging.  Here are just a few of the more common methods which were used.

The Rack The Rack was the most widely used and dates back to the ancient Greeks.  There were many different types of Rack over the years but the principal was always to stretch the prisoner's body.

To attempt to get answers from the prisoner, the interrogator would use the 'fear' and 'reputation' of the Rack first.  It was hoped that the very sight of this device would be enough to persuade the prisoner to answer.  If they remained silent then they would endue the Rack for many hours.  The prisoner was bound to the Rack by the ankles and wrists and stretched upon it's frame.  Eventually, as time passed, limbs would be dislocated and torn from their sockets.

The Scavenger's Daughter This instrument of torture was less well-known than the Rack but it was felt it complemented it.  It worked by compressing the body rather than stretching it.  It was created by Sir Leonard Skeffington, who was a Lieutenant of the Tower of London. The prisoner was forced into a kneeling position on the floor, and told to draw his body and limbs together so as to compress himself into the smallest possible space.  The interrogator, having passed one of the iron loops under the prisoner's legs, would kneel upon his shoulders, forcing the body downwards until it was possible to fasten the two hoops together over the small of the back.

The time allotted for confinement in this device was an hour and a half, however, confessions were generally obtained well before that, with prisoner's bleeding profusely from the nose, mouth and anus. Variations of this device existed which allowed the interrogator to slowly compress the distance between the knees and chin.  This resulted in broken bones throughout the ribcage and spine.

Thumbscrews This device was used throughout history and was favoured for it's ability to inflict maximum pain using minimal effort.  It was used to crush fingers and toes as well as thumbs. Usually thumbscrews consisted of two flat metal pieces separated by one or more screws.  The interrogator could use this device for restraint, like handcuffs, as well as crushing the digits therein.

Manacles These were heavy iron cuffs which were used to suspend the prisoner's body from the floor for hours on end.  This type of torture caused extreme pain and the prisoner may have had difficulty using their hands afterwards.

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To listen to the deathly sound of the Rack, stop the music below and listen to this.........