In the sense of being executed that is.
How is execution by stoning achieved? It seems unlikely that the guilty party just has stones thrown at them 'till they shuffle off of the mortal coil.
I have a dim memory of reading somewhere that you’re progressively crushed, starting at the feet, by large heavy stone blocks. Of course, we all know how reliable a hazy recollection of something you read sometime is ;).
Sounds a bit grisly.
Why? It’s “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone”, no “roll the first block”.
exit, singing Rainy Day Women #12&35, wishing this thread was about what I thought it would be.
I dunno. It just seems sort of … inefficient. Unless you’re throwing REALLY big rocks.
And I was ready to open this thread and make a smart ass remark about getting hungry.
Anyway, I don’t think efficiency was much of a consideration when it came to ancient forms of execution. I think the more slow and painful the better was more of the rule. I also would imagine that there were a bunch of people throwing rocks and that eventually enough hard blows to the head would cause death. It probably wasn’t quick but I think it was effective.
This source describes a completely different procedure, in which the accused was first pushed off a platform; if that failed to kill them, a boulder would be dropped on them, and only if that failed would they be stoned with smaller stones. I believe this method may have been used only later in Jewish history (i.e., during the Roman period); I don’t know exactly how Israelite stonings were carried out in earlier times.
That is the whole POINT. It IS inefficient. The phrase “death of a thousand cuts” comes to mind. They are supposed to suffer a slow death.
And remember, nobody is allowed to start throwing stones until I say so, even IF I say the word “Jehovah.”
Even really big rocks aren’t very efficient, apparently. Giles Corey was pressed to death - meaning they piled large stones on him until he died - in Salem, Mass in 1692. It took two days to polish him off, even though he was 80 years old! This site (~midway down the page) provides some details of the ordeal.
What fun-loving folk, our ancestors!
(Adjusting my false beard and looking for some good stones.)
[quote]
According to sharia, men convicted of adultery are buried to their waist and women buried to their armpits, before they are showered with stones thrown by a crowd.
The stones must not be large enough to kill the person immediately nor too small to be “effective.” The condemned are acquitted if they are able to break free while the sentence is being carried out.
What was the reason that we gave this practice up ?