SAEDNEWS: For centuries, European men punished and humiliated women they considered talkative, nagging, or gossipy by forcing them to wear a special metal device known as the “scold’s bridle.”
According to Saed News, citing Akharin Khabar, the humiliation of women in old Europe — especially during the Middle Ages — was widespread. Even women who were considered “talkative” were subjected to degrading punishments.
For centuries, European men punished and humiliated outspoken, nagging, or gossiping women by forcing them to wear a special metal device called the “Scold’s Bridle.”
This punishment tool, also known as the “Witch’s Bridle” or “Gossip’s Bridle,” consisted of an iron cage placed over the head with a metal gag inside the mouth. A small metal piece called the “bit” was inserted into the mouth and pressed down on the tongue to prevent the wearer from speaking. In some versions, this bit had sharp spikes so that any attempt to talk would cause pain or even pierce the tongue.
The earliest recorded use of the scold’s bridle dates back to 1567 in Scotland, and it was later used in England and in English colonies as well.
Typically, when a husband believed his wife was spreading rumors or verbally harassing others, he would punish her by forcing her to wear the bridle.
Scottish courts also sentenced women to this punishment if they were considered rude, argumentative, or suspected of practicing witchcraft.
If wearing the bridle itself was not humiliating enough, the husband would attach a rope to it and force his wife to walk through the town in a public “walk of shame.” Passersby were encouraged to insult her or spit on her. Sometimes a bell was attached to the top of the metal cage to draw even more attention during the procession.
The idea behind physically punishing women accused of gossiping or witchcraft was not unusual in medieval society. In the distorted form of Christianity dominant at the time, physical punishment was seen as the only way to atone for sins and to fully understand the seriousness of crimes against the Church. Only through pain, it was believed, could true understanding and eventual innocence be achieved.
The use of metal gags was also not a new concept. Similar devices had been used on enslaved people for hundreds of years, and the practice continued in some places until the nineteenth century.
Fortunately, the popularity of the scold’s bridle declined toward the end of the sixteenth century, although in parts of Europe — such as Germany — it remained in use until the early 1800s.
Today, these devices are displayed in several European museums as historical artifacts.
