Shame flute

A shame flute was a medieval and early modern pillory instrument for executing honorary sentences .

The Schandflute takes its name from its external resemblance to a flute . The metal ring, usually provided with a hinge, at the upper end of the shame flutes made of wood or metal was placed around the neck of the delinquent , then his fingers were clamped into the metal clamp on the "flute" body. The delinquent, squirming in pain, gave the impression of a musician playing, which exposed him to the mockery of the audience. The shame flute has recently been portrayed as an honor punishment for bad musicians, but like the neck violin, which is also similar to a musical instrument, it served to punish various minor violations of the legal order.

literature

Justice in old times , Volume VIc of the series of publications by the Medieval Crime Museum Rothenburg ob der Tauber , Rothenburg odT 1989