20 medieval shame masks for brawlers and grumpy wives

• 20 medieval shame masks for brawlers and grumpy wives

Today "exploits" ill-mannered, drunken and dissolute members of society can be seen on Youtube or on TV. In medieval Europe such heroes wore terrifying iron mask. In our review of a collection of 20 masks in which violators of the law and public order were forced to walk the streets.

Masks shame - Branks or Schandmaske - metal constructions, which are worn on the head of the guilty (and more delinquent) and securely fastened. Such masks were used in the 16th century in the UK and Germany. Their original purpose - punishment grumpy wives or women who like quarreling in public.

Sometimes this structure assumed metal gag. He wounded lips and tongue because of what the woman could not speak. Some masks on top of the bell was attached to the owner of the mask attracted more attention.

shame masks are often made in the form of animal heads. Sometimes the mask can tell what a person is punished, at which it put on. For example, if the mask has been designed as a donkey's head, it was immediately clear that she is phenomenally stupid, and if the mask has a long nose, is that the defendant too curious.

to wear such a mask and men and even children. So, a man who was accused of drunkenness, forced to wear the mask of a pig.

Yet the main purpose of the masks was shameful intimidation of women and a constant reminder to them that "God created them exclusively for the needs of service men and having children."

The owner of such a mask was not only an object of ridicule evil. Often people with tarnished reputation on the streets throwing stones. And some have chained in the town square, so that everyone could pour upon them his wrath.