Lightboxes
Cart
alb3802194

Captain Kidd in Gibbet, 18th Century

The body of William "Captain" Kidd left to rot in dockside gibbets in 18th century London. A gibbet is any instrument of public execution (including guillotine, executioner's block, impalement stake, hanging gallows, or related scaffold), but gibbeting refers to the use of a gallows-type structure from which the dead or dying bodies of executed criminals were hung on public display to deter other existing or potential criminals. In earlier times, up to the late 17th century, live gibbeting also took place, in which the condemned was placed alive in a metal cage and left to die of thirst. Kidd's body was gibbeted over the River Thames as a warning to future would-be pirates for three years. The belief that he had left a buried treasure contributed considerably to the growth of his legend.
Share
pinterestPinterest
twitterTwitter
facebookFacebook
emailEmail

Add to another lightbox

Add to another lightbox
add to lightbox print share
Do you already have an account? Sign in
You do not have an account? Register
Buy this image
Loading...
Title:
Captain Kidd in Gibbet, 18th Century
Caption:
The body of William "Captain" Kidd left to rot in dockside gibbets in 18th century London. A gibbet is any instrument of public execution (including guillotine, executioner's block, impalement stake, hanging gallows, or related scaffold), but gibbeting refers to the use of a gallows-type structure from which the dead or dying bodies of executed criminals were hung on public display to deter other existing or potential criminals. In earlier times, up to the late 17th century, live gibbeting also took place, in which the condemned was placed alive in a metal cage and left to die of thirst. Kidd's body was gibbeted over the River Thames as a warning to future would-be pirates for three years. The belief that he had left a buried treasure contributed considerably to the growth of his legend.
Personalities:
Credit:
Album / Science Source / New York Public Library
Releases:
Model: No - Property: No
Rights questions?
Image size:
2383 x 4932 px | 33.6 MB
Print size:
20.2 x 41.8 cm | 7.9 x 16.4 in (300 dpi)
Keywords: