A History of "Trial By Ordeal" | Mental Floss - 0 views
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“trial by fire” was a much more literal term, and was one of the many categories of “trial by ordeal” that permeated the judicial system of Europe, Asia, Africa, and colonial America.
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The defendant on trial must pick an object out from within flames, or walk over hot coals. If they were burned in the process, they were presumed guilty.
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A one-pound iron was heated in a fire, and pulled out during a ritual prayer. The defendant had to carry this iron the length of nine feet (as measured by the defendant’s own foot size). Their hands were then examined for burns
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