Pillory

The pillory was a device used for public punishment. It typically consisted of a wooden or metal framework with holes through which the head and hands (and sometimes the feet) of an offender were locked. The pillory was usually erected in a public place, such as a town square or marketplace, so that the offender would be exposed to ridicule, insults, and other forms of public humiliation.

The severity of the punishment derived not so much from the physical discomfort of being confined as from the public exposure and potential for abuse. While restrained, the person in the pillory was vulnerable to being pelted with rotten food, stones, or other objects by onlookers. The length of time spent in the pillory varied depending on the offense and the discretion of the authorities.

Pillories were used for a wide range of offenses, including petty theft, public drunkenness, perjury, and sedition. The use of pillories declined throughout the 18th and 19th centuries as attitudes towards punishment shifted and more humane methods of correction were adopted. They were eventually abolished in most Western countries. The practice represented a form of corporal punishment intended to shame and deter rather than cause lasting physical harm, although the risk of injury or death from mob violence was always present.