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A shrew's fiddle 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 18th century as a way of punishing women who were caught arguing or fighting. Today, it is used in BDSM and by fetishists. The name derives from the fact that if the device is made from wood it can be shaped to look like a violin.
History
The shrew's fiddle was first used in places such as Germany and Switzerland, where it was known as a Halsgiege, meaning "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 It was originally made out of two pieces of wood, fitted with a hinge and a lock at the front.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 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.
It was first used to punish women who were caught fighting or arguing with other people. The husband of the woman would sometimes be birch or flog 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 1888.
A different version of the shrew's fiddle was used in the United States during slavery, although the American version was made out metal, such as iron. It fell out of use when slavery was abolished.
In the present day, the shrew's fiddle is used by fetishists. Both wooden and metal versions are used.
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