The Dark History of Elephant Execution Methods in Asia
The weight of punishment
Humans are no strangers to cruel and unusual punishment. History is riddled with new and interesting ways to torture, maim, and kill one another. Today, there are laws and norms that attempt to prevent people from being especially awful to one another. But that was not always the case.
For thousands of years, one of the most poignant punishments administered in Asia was death by elephant. Elephants were commonly used to kill and maim people who were found guilty of particular crimes. Some crimes that could doom you to be killed by an elephant include treason, murder, and adultery. Elephantine execution was often a public spectacle and used to send a message to other would-be criminals or conspirators.
Unlike other strange punishments in history, execution by elephants was common and widespread. It was practiced from Vietnam to India and from Sri Lanka to Iraq. Anywhere that elephants were common, they were used to execute people.
Execution by elephant was used for a number of reasons. It was easy. It was symbolic. And, perhaps most importantly, it was effective.
