Shrew's fiddle

A shrew's fiddle at the torture museum in Freiburg im Breisgau

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.^[1] It was originally used in the 18th century as a way of punishing women who were caught bickering or fighting.^[1][2]

History

A shrew's fiddle for two at the torture museum in Freiburg im Breisgau

The shrew's fiddle was used in medieval Germany and Austria, where it was known as a Halsgeige, meaning "neck viola"^[2] or "neck violin".^[3] It was originally made out of two pieces of wood fitted with a hinge and a lock at the front.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 neck and the other two were smaller holes which fastened the wrists in front of the face.^[2] A bell was sometimes attached to this portable pillory, to alert townspeople that the victim was approaching so that she 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.^[4]

See also

• Jougs
• Scold's bridle

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Rothenburg ob der Tauber - Criminal Museum shows Iron Maiden, neck violins and Chastity belts". http://www.scrapbookpages.com/Rothenburg/Tour/CriminalMuseum.html. Retrieved 2008-05-04. 
2. ^ ^{a b c} "Museum of Medieval legal history - Halsgeige (neck-viola) and Shame-mask - Medieval torture". http://www.vienna.cc/english/folterm03.htm. Retrieved 2008-05-04. 
3. ^ Rublack, Ulinka (1999). The Crimes of Women in Early Modern Germany. Oxford University Press. pp. 75. ISBN 0198206372. http://books.google.com/books?id=FF6y3poQ4AYC&pg=PA75&dq=neck+violin+punish&lr=&client=firefox-a&sig=ax5eKhHA6YWpCcLk3gbnFxFMMLY#PPA75,M1. 
4. ^ "Rothenburg". http://www.cs.hmc.edu/~geoff/adventures/karlsruhe/rothenburg/. Retrieved 2008-05-04.