The bodies of executed highwaymen, covered in tar for preservation, were often displayed in these cages along rural routes. It was thought that this presentation would deter other thieves.

The remains were usually left in the cages until the bones fell apart. To discourage friends and relatives from attempting to retrieve the body, some cages were studded in nails.

The collar was fastened around the neck and the bell hung above the head, ringing at even the slightest of movements. Originally used by jailers to keep tabs on prisoners, it was also used to keep the prisoner awake for lengthy stretches of time.

Following the Scottish tradition of cute-sounding names for the most terrible of devices (c.f. Pilniewinkies), the Thumbikins are basically thumbscrews.

The fingers were placed in between the upper and lower bars and the nut was tightened using the separate tool.

This was fastened tightly around the waist with the arms straightened at the sides and locked into the loops at the sides. In this way, the victim could be more easily manipulated in other tortures.

Other times, the victim could be simply left to die.

The gibbet or hanging cage was a ubiquitous sight throughout Europe. Made of slats of wood or iron, in myriad shapes and sizes, this device served as a simple punishment (the victim was displayed and eventually freed) or a slow, brutal execution (the victim was left to the elements, facing eventual death).

If neccessity is the mother of invention, then the Cuirasse is her red-headed stepchild. Made from what appeared to be just about whatever was lying about the blacksmith's shop, this German device (with a French name) was formed from a breastplate of armor surrounded by three or four locking metal bands. A prisoner would be locked tightly into the bands with his arms straight at his side. The Cuirasse prevented all but the most basic of movements and sitting was near impossible - a few days of confinement without any kind of rest was all it took for many to lose their minds.

Not the Pendulum of "The Pit and the Pendulum" fame, in which the pendulum dispatches the victim, but a pendulum created by the prisoner hanging from a rope by the wrists with the arms bound behind the back. This of course caused an extreme dislocation of the shoulders as the arms are stretched above the head.

The torture can be increased by hanging weights from the feet, as well as swinging the victim to and fro in an arc.

A heretic or blasphemer was bound, his or her mouth forced open with the Mouth Opener. Next, the iron Tongue Tearer was produced, used to grab the most likely uncomfortably twitching tongue within it's rough grippers. Once a firm hold was maintained, the screw could be firmly tightened and the tongue was roughly torn from the prisoner's head.

This was created when Sir Leonard Skeffington was the Lieutenant of the Tower of London. The term 'scavenger' was a corruption of 'Skeffington' - in Italy it was referred to as cicogna, or "the stork".

Originally used as a bondage device in order to transport prisoners between two buildings, this device also caused painful cramping - most often in the abdomen and rectum. The neck was placed inside the hoop, the hands placed through the smaller loops, and the legs stuck between the bars with the feet locked into the bottom stirrups. This placed the prisoner into a painful foetal position with the knees and hands drawn up to the chin. Any kind of significant movement was painfully impossible.

Variations existed which allowed the torturer to slowly compress the distance between the knees and chin. This resulted in broken bones throughout the ribcage and spine.

A metal belt was wrapped around the victim and then he or she was hoisted atop the point of the pyramid. The torturer could modify the pressure upon their tender areas by raising or lowering the victim.

In Italian it was the culla di Guida, in German the Judaswiege, and the French broke from tradition and called it la veille - "the wake" or "nightwatch".

The Iron Gag, or Mute's Bridle was used to stifle the screams of a victim. The oblong box was forced into the mouth and the metal collar was tightly fastened around the back of the neck. A small hole in the front allowed air to pass in and out but muffled any screams. A torturer could press a single fingertip to the air-hole and create an extremely distressing situation for the accused.

This was used often during the Inquisition's auto da fe, so the accused would not interrupt the ceremony with their irritating cries of distress.

The various iron gags are akin to the branks and scold's bridles and were often used interchangeably.