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{{Short description|Early modern form of public punishment}}
⚫ A '''shrew's fiddle''' is a variation of the ], ] or rigid irons whereby the wrists are locked in front of the bound person by a hinged board or steel bar. It was originally used in the 18th century as a way of punishing women who were caught arguing or fighting. Today, it is used in ] and by fetishists.<ref name="mcncirce">{{cite web|url=http://mcncirce.com/history17.html|title=The Shrew's fiddle|publisher=mcncirce.com|accessdate=2008-04-29}}</ref> The name derives from the fact that if the device is made from wood it can be shaped to look like a violin.<ref name="OH">{{cite web|url=http://www.occasionalhell.com/infdevice/detail.php?recordID=Shrew's%20Fiddle|title=Shrew's Fiddle|publisher=Occasional Hell|accessdate=2008-04-29}}</ref>
]|italic=no}}]]
{{Multiple image
|total_width = 350
|image1 = Fomfr double fiddle.jpg
|width1 = 1025
|height1 = 1825
|caption1 = A shrew's fiddle for two at the torture museum in {{lang|de|]|italic=no}}
|image2 = OHM - Schandgeige.jpg
|width2 = 1712
|height2 = 2560
|caption2 = A shrew's fiddle being worn by a dummy at the {{lang|de|Oberhausmuseum|italic=no}} in {{lang|de|]|italic=no}}
}}
⚫ A '''shrew's fiddle''' or '''neck violin''' is a variation of the ], ], or rigid irons whereby the wrists are locked in front of the bound person by a hinged board, or steel bar. It was originally used in the ] as a way of punishing those who were caught bickering or fighting.<ref name="Vienna">{{cite web |url=http://www.vienna.cc/english/folterm03.htm |title=Halsgeige (neck-viola) and Shame-mask |publisher=Museum of Medieval Legal History |accessdate=2008-05-04 }}</ref>


==History== ==History==
The shrew's fiddle was first used in places such as ] and ], where it was known as a ''Halsgiege'', meaning "Neck violin".<ref name="mcncirce"/><ref name="OH"/> It was originally made out of two pieces of wood, fitted with a ] and a lock at the front. The shrew's fiddle consisted of three holes. One was a large hole for the head and neck to fit through; the other two were smaller holes which fastened the arms in front of the victim. Some versions of shrew's fiddles had a chain at the "Neck" of the fiddle which could be used to drag the victim from place to place.<ref name="OH"/> The shrew's fiddle was used in medieval ] and ], where it was known as a {{lang|de|Halsgeige}}, meaning "neck viola"<ref name="Vienna"/> or "neck violin".<ref name="rublack">{{cite book |last=Rublack |first=Ulinka |title=The Crimes of Women in Early Modern Germany |publisher=] |year=1999 |pages=75 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FF6y3poQ4AYC&dq=neck+violin+punish&pg=PA75 |isbn=0-19-820637-2 }}</ref> It was originally made out of two pieces of wood fitted with a ] and a lock at the front. The shrew's fiddle had three holes: one was a large hole for the neck, and the other two were smaller holes which fastened the wrists in front of the face.<ref name="Vienna"/>


It was first used to punish women who were caught fighting or arguing with other people. The husband of the woman would sometimes be ] or ] his wife as further punishment. Another version was the "Double fiddle", which allowed two people to be attached together, face-to-face. This forced the two people to talk to each other. They were not released until the argument had been resolved. The shrew's fiddle was banned in Germany and Switzerland in ].<ref name="mcncirce"/> A bell was sometimes attached to this portable pillory, to alert townspeople that the victim was approaching so that they might be mocked and otherwise humiliated. Another version was a "double fiddle," by which two people could be attached together face-to-face, forcing them to talk to each other. They were not released until the argument had been resolved.<ref name="Kuenning">{{cite web |url=http://www.cs.hmc.edu/~geoff/adventures/karlsruhe/rothenburg/ |title=Rothenburg: Torture 101 |work=Adventures in Karlsruhe |first=Geoff |last=Kuenning |publisher=] |date=2005 |accessdate=2008-05-04 }}</ref>


==See also==
A different version of the shrew's fiddle was used in the ] during ], although the American version was made out metal, such as ]. It fell out of use when slavery was ].<ref name="mcncirce"/>
* ]

* ]
In the present day, the shrew's fiddle is used by fetishists. Both wooden and metal versions are used.<ref name="mcncirce"/>


==References== ==References==
{{Reflist}} {{Reflist}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Shrew's Fiddle}}
==External links==
*

] ]
] ]
]

Latest revision as of 15:44, 7 November 2024

Early modern form of public punishment
A shrew's fiddle at the torture museum in Freiburg im Breisgau
A shrew's fiddle for two at the torture museum in Freiburg im BreisgauA shrew's fiddle being worn by a dummy at the Oberhausmuseum in Passau

A shrew's fiddle or neck violin is a variation of the yoke, pillory, or rigid irons whereby the wrists are locked in front of the bound person by a hinged board, or steel bar. It was originally used in the Middle Ages as a way of punishing those who were caught bickering or fighting.

History

The shrew's fiddle was used in medieval Germany and Austria, where it was known as a Halsgeige, meaning "neck viola" or "neck violin". It was originally made out of two pieces of wood fitted with a hinge and a lock at the front. The shrew's fiddle had three holes: one was a large hole for the neck, and the other two were smaller holes which fastened the wrists in front of the face.

A bell was sometimes attached to this portable pillory, to alert townspeople that the victim was approaching so that they might be mocked and otherwise humiliated. Another version was a "double fiddle," by which two people could be attached together face-to-face, forcing them to talk to each other. They were not released until the argument had been resolved.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Halsgeige (neck-viola) and Shame-mask". Museum of Medieval Legal History. Retrieved 2008-05-04.
  2. Rublack, Ulinka (1999). The Crimes of Women in Early Modern Germany. Oxford University Press. p. 75. ISBN 0-19-820637-2.
  3. Kuenning, Geoff (2005). "Rothenburg: Torture 101". Adventures in Karlsruhe. Harvey Mudd College. Retrieved 2008-05-04.
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