Indeed, the Lion Gate serves as an enduring testament to the Mycenaean civilization’s power, creativity, and architectural ingenuity. Its iconic imagery, featuring the imposing lionesses and the massive stone structure, resonates with visitors, offering a tangible connection to the rich history and culture of ancient Greece.
As the gateway to the citadel of Mycenae, this monumental entrance not only provided access to the fortified city but also served as a symbol of the civilization’s strength and authority. The craftsmanship and attention to detail displayed in the relief sculpture and the Cyclopean masonry highlight the Mycenaeans’ mastery of artistic and engineering techniques
What was a gibbet?
When an individual was caught for a serious crime such as murder, robbery, piracy, or smuggling in 18th-century England, they were typically sentenced to death. These executions were often torturous and served as grim examples to deter others from engaging in similar criminal activities. Gibbeting was a method used to display the dead bodies of these criminals publicly, aiming to instill fear and dissuade others from committing crimes.
A gibbet was a structure specifically built for hanging a body, either as a method of execution or for post-mortem display. Typically, gibbets consisted of tall-standing wooden posts with an arm projecting outward from the upright post. From this arm, the bodies of criminals would be hung, often in iron cages or chains, ensuring that they remained suspended for long periods.
Gibbets were sturdy structures designed to impose fear and serve as a deterrent to potential criminals. Constructed to last for decades, these towering structures often stood over 30 feet tall. The bodies of executed criminals hung from these gibbets would gradually decompose, eventually becoming skeletons that continued to serve as a grim reminder of the consequences of crime.
The Macabre Practice of Hanging in Chains
Throughout history, punishments for wrongdoers have frequently been harsh and severe. Among these draconian measures, “hanging in chains,” or gibbeting, stands out as a particularly grim form of retribution. Predominant in 18th-century England, this practice involved imprisoning criminals in human-shaped cages and displaying them in public spaces to serve as a warning to others. The gibbet, the wooden scaffold from which the cage was suspended, was a prominent fixture in communal areas. Typically, criminals were executed before being placed in the gibbet; however, some unfortunates were left to die within these enclosures. This brutal method was envisioned as a stark admonition to potential lawbreakers.
Spectacle and Decline of Gibbeting
Ironically, the gibbeting of criminals became a significant public spectacle, attracting throngs of onlookers. However, on several occasions, gibbeting backfired, especially under unpopular rulers.
In the early 14th century, King Edward II ordered the bodies of rebels Henry of Montfort and Henry of Wylynton to be gibbeted near Bristol. Given Edward II’s unpopularity, these gibbets turned into relics of rebellion. Some people even attributed miracles to the proximity of the gibbets, transforming what was intended as a deterrent into a symbol of resistance against the king’s rule.
As the grisly practice waned in popularity, it became increasingly viewed as barbaric and inhumane. Public sentiment shifted, and the macabre spectacle of gibbeting lost its deterrent effect. This shift in perception eventually led to the official abolition of gibbeting in England in 1834, a decision that is easily comprehensible in hindsight given the practice’s brutal nature and potential to inspire defiance rather than compliance.
The history of gibbeting serves as a stark reminder of the evolving nature of punishment and the complex dynamics between authority and the populace.
The Murder Act of 1752
The practice of gibbeting, originating in the Medieval period, reached its zenith in the 1740s. However, by 1752, the enactment of the Murder Act in England mandated that the bodies of executed criminals be either publicly gibbeted or dissected, further institutionalizing this gruesome punishment.
Gibbeting had already begun to decline in popularity prior to the passage of the Murder Act. Despite its infrequent occurrence, gibbeting made a profound impact whenever implemented. As Dr. Suzannah Lipscomb noted, the spectacle of gibbeting attracted large crowds, with thousands gathering to witness the macabre display.
The gibbeting of a living person or a corpse became a dark attraction, drawing spectators to every hanging. This grim spectacle served as a stark reminder of the consequences of criminal behavior, intended to instill fear and deterrence in the public consciousness. However, as attitudes towards punishment evolved, gibbeting eventually fell out of favor, seen as excessively cruel and barbaric.
Women were not gibbeted
In England, female criminals faced the same fate under the Murder Act as their male counterparts: their bodies were to be publicly gibbeted or dissected. However, due to the scarcity of female specimens in the medical community, their corpses were highly sought after. However, female bodies were far rarer in the medical community than male specimens and were thus a hot commodity.
All the same, female criminals were still subject to the Murder Act – their bodies had to be either publicly gibbeted or dissected. As anatomists and surgeons were desperate to study the female body, the corpses of female criminals were not gibbeted. Instead, they were given to medical professionals for public dissection.
Gibbet cages came in all shapes and sizes
Gibbets and their associated cages were not erected frequently due to the significant expense involved in their construction. As a result, gibbet cages were typically built on demand and tailored to the specific requirements of each case. Dr. Suzannah Lipscomb, a historian, describes gibbet cages as being person-shaped, designed to contain and display the body in a recognizable human form. This unique feature imbued gibbets with an eerie quality, blurring the distinction between the living and the dead.
Given the bespoke nature of gibbet cages, blacksmiths faced a challenging task when commissioned to create them. Without a standardized design to follow, each gibbet cage was crafted based on the individual it was intended to hold. Consequently, these structures varied widely in size and shape, reflecting the diversity of the condemned individuals they were constructed for.
The irregularity of gibbet cages, combined with their purpose of publicly displaying the deceased, contributed to the unsettling atmosphere surrounding gibbeting. These structures served as macabre reminders of the consequences of criminal behavior and were designed to evoke fear and deterrence among spectators.
