Ordeal by Cold Water
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Ordeal by Cold Water
ORDEAL BY COLD WATER TUB The suspect is bound tightly and immersed in a tub of cold water; if he drowns he is innocent, if not, not
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Media ID 604717
© Mary Evans Picture Library 2015 - https://copyrighthub.org/s0/hub1/creation/maryevans/MaryEvansPictureID/10050847
Bound Cold Drowns Immersed Innocent L Aw Ordeal Suspect Tightly Trial
EDITORS COMMENTS
Ordeal by Cold Water: A Historical Trial by Immersion This evocative image depicts an 18th century ordeal by cold water, a trial used in European history to determine the guilt or innocence of a suspect. The man in the photograph is tightly bound and immersed in a large, tub-like container filled with cold water. The belief was that if the suspect was innocent, he would not drown, and if he survived the ordeal, he would be acquitted. Conversely, if the suspect was guilty, he would supposedly succumb to the cold water and drown, providing evidence of his guilt. Ordeals by cold water were a common form of trial during the Middle Ages and the early modern period, particularly in Europe. These trials were often used when there was insufficient evidence to secure a conviction through other means. The practice was based on the belief that God would protect the innocent during the ordeal, and that the guilty would be punished by drowning. Despite the widespread use of ordeals by cold water, they were not without controversy. Critics argued that the trials were unreliable and that innocent people could be wrongly accused and condemned. Additionally, the trials were often accompanied by superstitious beliefs and practices, such as the use of holy water or the presence of religious figures. The use of ordeals by cold water declined in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, as the scientific revolution and the Enlightenment led to a greater emphasis on evidence-based reasoning and the rejection of superstitious practices. Today, the image of the ordeal by cold water serves as a reminder of the complex and often contradictory nature of historical legal practices, and the importance of upholding the principles of fairness, justice, and the presumption of innocence.
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