Weird and Interesting Medieval Inventions

During the 5th to 15th centuries A.D or the Medieval Ages, several tools, weaponry, and simple machines were discovered and invented. It was also the period were major improvements in technologies occurred, as well as the adoption of interesting Eastern inventions in the West. The following is a list of 7 weird and interesting medieval inventions that some people assume to be fictional.

1. The Rack

The rack came in a number of forms, although there is one concept in this strange invention during the medieval times. This type of tool aims to torture criminals, and the victim is securely tied down on it while a turning wheel causes the rope to tighten and stretch the person’s body until all the joints are dislocated. With continued pressure on the victim’s body, the limbs eventually tear off and cause the person to suffer a gruesome death. Moreover, this odd invention was used in conjunction with other tools that could torture a person even more such as by lighting a fire beneath the wheel of the rack.

2. Brazen Bull

This form of torture depicts a hollow brass statue that resembles a bull. A person is then placed inside this small chamber after their tongues are cut. Next, the door is shut, thus sealing the victim inside the brazen bull. Fires are lit around this statue, which causes the victim to succumb to the intense heat inside and scream in agony. With the sounds and movements muted by the mass of the bull statue, the apparatus seems quite alive – like a real bull. The effect of this tool served as a form of amusement for the people watching this morbid act, and it added the benefit of preventing them from seeing directly the brutality of this torture.

3. Iron Maiden

This device was thought to be fictional because of its odd appearance, yet it was one of the common tools used in torturing victims during the Dark Ages. The Iron Maiden is an upright sarcophagus, which has spike strategically positioned on the inner surface. There are double doors found on the front portion of the device, which serves as the entrance for victims. In some models, there are 8 spikes protruding from one of the doors and 13 from the other. After placing the person inside, both doors are shut and this causes vital organs to be pierced because of the spikes. However, the spikes were quite short, which does not kill the victim instantly. The tortured person has to suffer for hours and bleed to death while inside the device.

4. The Man Catcher

This form of pole weapon has two prongs with a semicircular shape, and there is a spring-loaded trap found on the front portion. The man catcher was a rather odd, yet fascinating invention as it was intended to be used in grabbing a person from horseback. This tool also played a significant part in the Medieval technique of capturing royalties or enemies for ransom. In addition, the man catcher was used to hold securely and trap violent prisoners.

5. Flamethrower

The idea of throwing flames as a war weapon was used during the Byzantine Era, which employes a device that appeared to be a hand-held pump that is capable of shooting fire. The weapon has a piston and siphon-hose, and once ignited, it could shoot fire to the victim. With this powerful weapon, it is possible to kill a whole army and ignite anything that the fire lands on.

6. Canal Lock

This invention was used locally in Italy, and it began to spread worldwide throughout the Medieval Ages. The locks replaced old ones that were cumbersome, extremely heavy and inefficient. In fact, it took at least two men who shared the load to successfully lift at least one of the locks while they fought the force of gravity. The improved design was easier to move, more efficient, and was capable of performing the job as it was intended. Furthermore, these new locks created a much tighter seal each time the oncoming water hit them.

7. Blast Furnace

This tool was used extensively in the Medieval Europe during the 12th century. Cistercian monks were responsible for technological advancements in the blast furnace, they were skilled metallurgists. Researchers have discovered that each monastery in Noraskog, a place in Sweden, had a model factory and waterpower was capable of driving the machines of several industries found on the floor of the blast furnace.

Adopted from oddtale.com