Mazeppa - pl. 2 - Print, Library of Congress collection

Instruments of torture are tools or devices that have been used throughout history to inflict pain, suffering, or punishment on individuals. These instruments have been used for a variety of purposes, including interrogating prisoners, extracting confessions, deterring crime, and inflicting punishment. Some examples of instruments of torture that have been used throughout history include: The rack: The rack was a device used to stretch the limbs of a person, causing extreme pain and sometimes even dislocating joints. It was often used to extract confessions or to punish people accused of crimes. The iron maiden: The iron maiden was a coffin-like structure with sharp spikes on the inside. It was designed to impale a person, causing severe injury or death. Strappado (a device used to lift a person off the ground by their arms), the thumbscrew (a device used to crush the thumbs), and the water torture (a form of torture in which water was poured down the throat or over the face to create the sensation of drowning). The Chinese water torture: The Chinese water torture was a form of torture in which water was dripped onto a person's forehead, causing the sensation of drowning. It was believed to be used by the Chinese during the Ming Dynasty, but there is no historical evidence to support this claim.