# Getting Stoned **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 10, 2005, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-stoned/316417 "2005-08-10T08:23:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mamboman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecb155/32.png) [@mamboman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mamboman)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-stoned/316417/1 "2005-08-10T08:23:50Z")
to death, that is. Back in the day, when stoning to death was a popular passtime, how exactly was it done? How long would it take someone to die from being stoned to death? What was the likely cause of death? Could anyobdy just turn up at the stoning a chuck a rock at the poor guy? Were slingshots permitted?Any stoners out there know? mm ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-stoned/316417/2 "2005-08-10T12:13:20Z")
I used to take part, but since I moved to a glass house, I stopped. I’m pretty sure that everyone would just grab a rock and toss away. ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-stoned/316417/3 "2005-08-10T13:50:13Z")
The most probable cause of death would be internal injury, or swelling of the brain. It wouldn’t be a quick death-- it wasn’t designed to be. Depending on the size of the rocks used, it could take a while. Most likely, one would lose conciousness and then slowly bleed to death internally. (Usually, bodies of the executed would be left lying around for a while as a warning to others. A deep coma could appear to those with no medical apparati for checking vital signs as death.) I do know of a modern stoning. Happened only a few months ago, actually. My husband was visiting a woman’s prison (he works as a deputy warden in a men’s prison and was consulting on security issues.) A woman who had killed her child was being brought into the prison yard for the first time. She was met with a hail of stones from the other women inmates, who fully intended to kill her. They actually had to send in a rescue team with shields to pull her out of there. ---
**Author:** ![Spiff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiff/32/9852_2.png) [@Spiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiff)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-stoned/316417/4 "2005-08-10T14:18:58Z")
I’m sure the stoning scene in “The Life of Brian” is historically accurate. ---
**Author:** ![zacchaeus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/898d66/32.png) [@zacchaeus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zacchaeus)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-stoned/316417/5 "2005-08-10T14:29:54Z")
> [@mamboman](#): > > to death, that is. Back in the day, when stoning to death was a popular passtime, how exactly was it done? How long would it take someone to die from being stoned to death? What was the likely cause of death? Could anyobdy just turn up at the stoning a chuck a rock at the poor guy? Were slingshots permitted?Any stoners out there know? > > mm It was dependent on how bad you pissed people off…the new testament has two specific stoning events…one is stephen in Acts (about ch. 9, I think), the other is paul, later in the same book. The bible says the crowds were mad (riots and mayhem mad, or insane mad) and buried the apostles under piles of rock. I don’t know how mad that is, I do know that asking the local pastor to starting reading the bible from his pulpit gets him pretty mad, though. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-stoned/316417/6 "2005-08-10T14:46:26Z")
Just say no. I agree with **Spiff** and trust LOB for historical accuracy. **Stoner** : Well you did say "Jehovah. " ---
**Author:** ![Tomcat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Tomcat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tomcat)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-stoned/316417/7 "2005-08-10T15:07:17Z")
For accuracy one should start with the reasons why you would get stoned, and when it was appropriate to stone others: When to stone your whole [family.](http://www.thebricktestament.com/the_law/when_to_stone_your_whole_family/dt13_06-08.html) When to stone your [children.](http://www.thebricktestament.com/the_law/when_to_stone_your_children/dt21_18a.html) When to stone unfaithful [fiance’s.](http://www.thebricktestament.com/the_law/rape/dt22_23a.html) (with bonus rules for victims to marry their rapists). When to stone non-[virgins.](http://www.thebricktestament.com/the_law/proof_of_virginity/dt22_13.html) -Tcat ---
**Author:** ![Uvula\_Donor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e19adc/32.png) [@Uvula\_Donor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uvula_Donor)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-stoned/316417/8 "2005-08-10T15:27:25Z")
Stoning is an interesting method of execution; the entire community participates, so that no one person carries the burden of actually being _the executioner_. There were specific “rules” for stoning. Often, children were allowed to throw the first and smallest stones; adults would throw larger ones. Big rocks and really huge stones were specifically not allowed: although the intent was not really to torture, stoning was also not intended to be a quick or painless death, either. The cause of death was not usually internal injury from impacts, but suffocation from the piles of stones accumulated on the victim. And the bodies were not generally removed but allowed to remain on the execution site under the cairn formed by the thrown stones. I think it was Charles Panati, in _Panati’s Extraordinary Endings of Practically Everything and Everybody_ who noted that the execution ground outside the walls of a town was easily noted by the piles of stones here and there (been a while since I’ve read the book - hope I’m getting that cite correct.) Um…as for the “accuracy” of _Life of Brian_…yeah. A comedy by Monty Python is going to be a cite for historical information? I’m sure Roman soldiers gave Latin grammar lessons to grafitti artists and had them paint “Romans Go Home” all over the center of town as punishment, too. ---
**Author:** ![Bongmaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Bongmaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bongmaster)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-stoned/316417/9 "2005-08-10T18:52:52Z")
Ah, sorry, wrong thread. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-stoned/316417/10 "2005-08-10T19:04:51Z")
If you do some online searches, you can find descriptions of how judicial stonings are carried out today. I’m not going to link to them, though. It’s really a pretty nasty way to die. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-stoned/316417/11 "2005-08-10T19:44:58Z")
Not as bad a CRUCIFIXION though. It’s a slow, 'orrible, death. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-stoned/316417/12 "2005-08-10T19:47:11Z")
Crucifixion is a slow, horrible death. It’s faster if you break the legs first, though. However, as far as I know, crucifixion isn’t used anymore as a method of capital punishment, while stoning is. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-stoned/316417/13 "2005-08-10T20:03:06Z")
> [@Tomcat](#): > > When to stone your whole [family.](http://www.thebricktestament.com/the_law/when_to_stone_your_whole_family/dt13_06-08.html) [Big-ass rabbit in the Garden of Eden, innit](http://www.thebricktestament.com/genesis/garden_of_eden/gn02_25.html). ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-stoned/316417/14 "2005-08-10T20:38:29Z")
There is a color video of an Islamic stoning available on various websites. Google will turn it up. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-stoned/316417/15 "2005-08-10T21:04:01Z")
In Jewish Law, the process of execution by stoning was as follows: First, they’d lead the condemned to a tower at least twice the condemned’s height and one of the witnesses to the capital crime pushes him (or her) off it. (the mountain doesn’t need to be thrown at Mohammed, Mohammed can be thrown at the mountain) If the condemned doesn’t die from the fall, the second witness takes a large rock and drops it on the condemned’s heart. If that doesn’t kill him, the entire congregation then throws stones at him until he dies, and I imagine the scene would then have been somewhat similar to the “Life Of Brian”, excepting the whole “Jeho…” (I don’t want anyone to stone me) joke. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-stoned/316417/16 "2005-08-10T21:17:36Z")
This is a pretty accurate description of a modern stoning in Iran: > [@](#): > > In stoning to death, the victims’s hands are tied behind their backs and their bodies are put in a cloth sack. Then, this human “package” is buried in a hole, with only the victims heads showing above the ground. If its a woman, she is buried upto her shoulders. This is to give her an seemingly equal (but nonetheless impossible) chance to escape recognizing her lesser physical strength. > > After the hapless individual has been secured in the hole, people start chanting “Allah hu Akbar” (meaning, God is great), and throw palm sized stones at the head of the victim from a certain distance (a circle is drawn). > > The stones are thrown until the person dies or until he/she escapes out of the hole and crosses the circle. Escaping is impossible, given that the individual’s hands are tied behind their backs and they are buried in a hole upto their necks or shoulders (in the case of males and females respectively). > > Naturally, the procedure is extremely barbaric and bloody. In keeping with the two click rule, a google search with a link to the page with the video file can be found [here](http://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&lr=&safe=off&c2coff=1&rls=GGLD%2CGGLD%3A2005-07%2CGGLD%3Aen&q=%22stoned+to+death%22+islam+). Not for the weak of stomach, and not work safe. The site is anti-Isamic. ---
**Author:** ![ltfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@ltfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ltfire)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-stoned/316417/17 "2005-08-11T00:11:32Z")
I watched a movie about the killing of witches, and the townspeople were lined up with large cobblestones. One after another, they lay the stones on top of the victim, who was tied down. The eventual death was due to the slow crushing of the entire body. No one was throwing anything. Called stoning? Or something else? ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-stoned/316417/18 "2005-08-11T00:32:30Z")
> [@ltfire](#): > > I watched a movie about the killing of witches, and the townspeople were lined up with large cobblestones. One after another, they lay the stones on top of the victim, who was tied down. The eventual death was due to the slow crushing of the entire body. No one was throwing anything. Called stoning? Or something else? Pressing. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-stoned/316417/19 "2005-08-11T01:32:29Z")
The most famous person to die by pressing was probably Giles Corey, who was accused of witchcraft at Salem. He refused to answer the charge, so they pressed him to try to get him to plead either guilty or not guilty. The pressing killed him. ---
**Author:** ![Sequent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Sequent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sequent)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-stoned/316417/20 "2005-08-11T03:10:23Z")
> [@](#): > > No fatal overdose due to cannabis use has ever been recorded in humans. According to the Merck Index, 12th edition, the LD50, the lethal dose for 50% of tested rats, was 42 milligrams per kilogram of body weight when inhaled. As for oral consumption, the LD50 for rats was 1270 mg/kg and 730 mg/kg for males and females, respectively. No currently known means of administration exists to induce a comparable level of THC in a human system, but research is continuing at a rapid pace. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-stoned/316417.md?page=2)