Historical Immurement: People Who Were Bricked Up or Buried Alive

For the claustrophobic among us, the idea of being bricked up into a cramped space with only a small hole through which food and water could be passed is truly the stuff of nightmares and horror stories.

However, although immurement has certainly been used by storytellers over the years in order to make their stories more terrifying, with perhaps the earliest example of this being the ancient Greek playwright Sophocles whose heroine Antigone was bricked into a cave alongside her lover, and one of the more recent examples being an episode of Thomas the Tank Engine in which Percy was bricked into a tunnel after refusing to go out in the rain, as we all know, the past was the worst and not only was this something that happened to real people, it was something that happened fairly frequently throughout history.

Today we will take a look at just how this horrific practice was used to punish sinners in the eyes of the Lord, as a method of spiritual reflection and as a guarantee that important structures such as churches and bridges would not immediately fall down after they were constructed.

It is no secret that throughout history, various religious organisations have come up with a good many barbaric methods of execution and torture. Being crucified, stoned to death, or burnt at the stake to name just a few. Immurement differed slightly from these because, although it certainly could be used as a form of execution, this was not always the case. It was not unheard of for people to be sentenced to a certain amount of time imprisoned in this fashion and, assuming that they were not forgotten about, released at the end of the sentence.

So exactly what was immurement and what kind of heinous crime would somebody have to commit in order to be sentenced to it?

The first recorded cases of immurement being used as a punishment go back as far as the times of ancient Rome.

During this time, female temple priestesses of the goddess Vesta (or Vestal Virgins) would take a solemn vow of chastity and would be expected to uphold this no matter what the circumstances. This not only meant that they would be punished for electing to break their vow, but they would also be held responsible for any nonconsenting sexual activity in which they may be forced to participate. The sentence for any such transgression was death.

This presented somewhat of a problem as it was illegal to spill the blood of a Vestal Virgin, so it was eventually decided that, in order to prevent this, the perpetrator would be buried alive. This then immediately led to another problem as carrying out a burial was not permitted within the city of Rome. The obvious solution to this problem was to imprison the woman in question in a tiny, inescapable room with a small supply of food and water.

Once the supply ran out, she would of course die of natural causes.

The following is a brief account of one such event taken from a book called A School Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities:

“When condemned by the college of pontifices, she was stripped of her vittae and other badges of office, was scourged, was attired like a corpse, placed in a close litter, and borne through the forum attended by her weeping kindred, with all the ceremonies of a real funeral, to a rising ground called the Campus Sceleratus, just within the city walls, close to the Colline gate.

There, a small vault underground had been previously prepared, containing a couch, a lamp, and a table with a little food. The pontifex maximus, having lifted up his hands to heaven and uttered a secret prayer, opened the litter, led forth the culprit, and placing her on the steps of the ladder which gave access to the subterranean cell, delivered her over to the common executioner and his assistants, who conducted her down, drew up the ladder, and having filled the pit with earth until the surface was level with the surrounding ground, left her to perish deprived of all the tributes of respect usually paid to the spirits of the departed.”

Although in cases such as this, immurement was used as a method with which to execute somebody without any one person being responsible, the practice would later be voluntarily undertaken by religious figures such as priests, monks, and nuns.

In these instances, rather than being left to die, the person who underwent immurement would do so for a predetermined amount of time, either as a self-imposed penance or as an opportunity to indulge in deep spiritual reflection. Although this behaviour could certainly be considered unusual, there is no reason why a consenting adult should be prevented from any religious observance that they deem to be necessary. Sadly, it was not unusual for these individuals, especially the nuns — also sometimes referred to as anchoresses — to insist on company during these periods of self-imposed torture.

Unsurprisingly, given religion’s propensity towards unnecessary cruelty to children, this company would usually take the form of a young girl or boy under the age of 10 years old. Although these children were sometimes orphans who were under the care of the church, it was also not uncommon for families to willingly donate children to act as symbols of purity and likewise to be a companion for whomever had chosen to undergo this process.

Julian of Norwich, a lady who underwent several periods of immurement, was particularly fond of this practice.

It was not uncommon for her to spend years at a time bricked up into a tiny space within her local church and, according to surviving writings on the subject, she was almost always accompanied by a small child.

Another source tells the story of a nun and a small girl who had been left in the care of the church by a local family who could not afford to feed her. The duo entered into a five-year period of immurement in a tiny cell located in a church in the south of France. According to this source, the young girl appeared terrified when she arrived and, upon learning that she would be forced to remain in this tiny place for the next five years, became hysterical.

It goes on to say that once the room had been sealed, the nun could be heard subjecting the child to “frequent prolonged beatings” on a daily basis. Although the nun in question would remain in the cell for the agreed-upon amount of time, the little girl was not so lucky. She passed away after less than one year of confinement.

Interestingly, this way of life was so popular during the mediaeval period that several guides were written on how it should best be carried out and just what these individuals should do with their time.

One such guide, Ancrene Wisse, suggests: “Admiring their own white hands is bad for many anchoresses who keep them too beautiful, such as those who have too little to do; they should scrape up the earth every day from the grave in which they will rot.”

Although this practice has its roots firmly based in religion, there are numerous accounts of it being used as both a form of torture and a particularly harsh kind of imprisonment. The most notable case of the latter is perhaps James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell, and third husband of Mary Queen of Scots.

Hepburn spent the last five years of his life as a prisoner in Dragsholm Castle, near Copenhagen, chained up in a space so small that he could not stand, and completely isolated from any human contact, save for the guards who would occasionally bring him food. According to one source:

“Danish authorities more or less forgot about Hepburn, and he remained in his hole for five years. When he was finally found, he acted like a feral animal. Hepburn did not use language, but instead only grunted and paced back and forth. He died shortly after his release.”

It is also believed by many historians that King Richard II of England was subjected to immurement at Pontefract Castle in Pontefract, West Yorkshire; it is likely that this method of execution was chosen in order to ensure that the body would show no overt signs of foul play.

Aside from murder, religious observance, torture and imprisonment, there is one more instance in which immurement has been frequently used over the centuries.

As far as we were able to discover, this tradition originated in Serbia whose people claimed, during the building of the city of Skodra, “that the foundations could not be laid until the builders interred the wife of one of the three leaders of the undertaking.”

It is not just from Serbia that the stories come. From Greece comes the story of the building of the bridge over the river Arta, which required the sacrifice of the wife of the master builder, and from Albania it is the Fox’s bridge over the river Dibra which carries a similar story.

Although there are some people who claim that these stories are purely fiction, there is indisputable evidence that such practices have been carried out. During the demolition of Blackfriars Bridge in London in 1867, workmen discovered a quantity of both animal and human remains in the foundations. This discovery helped to confirm stories that, during the bridge’s original construction, people had been buried alive in specially created hollow spaces. It is highly likely that the children’s song “London Bridge is Falling Down” came about as a reference to this tradition.

Another source tells the story of some Turkish soldiers who, when building a block house in 1865 at Ragusa, captured two Christian children for the purpose of burying them in the foundations.

However, perhaps the most famous structure that we know to have been built with living victims trapped inside is the wall built in the 18th century around the city of Acre by Ahmad Pasha al-Jazzar. Nicknamed the Butcher, al-Jazzar was notorious for devising cruel and unusual punishments for anybody who displeased him. Although the construction of this wall was primarily for defence purposes, al-Jazzar also wanted it to be imbued with some features that were both “beautiful and entertaining.”

One of the ways that he decided to make this wall more entertaining involved capturing a large number of Greek Christians and building them into the structure. To ensure that this would remain entertaining for as long as possible, their heads were left protruding from the wall so that he could fully enjoy their constant suffering and eventual demise.

Although it may be tempting to consider immurement an ancient and barbaric practice from a less civilised time, there are examples of it being used as a form of prolonged execution relatively recently.

Traveller M. E. Hume-Griffith wrote in his book Behind the Veil in Persia and Turkish Arabia that during his travels in 1903, he had occasionally come across men who had been bricked up and left to die as punishment for various offences. In one chapter he wrote that “Another sad sight to be seen in the desert sometimes, are brick pillars in which some unfortunate victim is walled up alive… Men bricked up in this way have been heard groaning and calling for water at the end of three days.”

Although it is impossible for us to know just how many people have suffered involuntary immurement over the years, new instances are regularly discovered. Every time a bridge is demolished, and the skeleton of an adult is discovered in the foundations, or whenever an ancient church undergoes restoration and the skeleton of a small child is discovered walled up in part of the original structure, it serves as a stark reminder of the terror and suffering that these poor individuals were subjected to before their inevitable deaths.

Key Takeaways

• Immurement, or bricking people into small spaces, was used historically for punishment, religious reflection, and structural stability.
• Ancient Rome used immurement to execute Vestal Virgins who broke their vows of chastity, avoiding bloodshed within the city.
• Religious figures, including nuns and monks, voluntarily underwent immurement for penance or spiritual reflection, sometimes with child companions.
• Immurement was also used as a form of torture and harsh imprisonment, such as James Hepburn’s confinement in Dragsholm Castle.
• Structures like bridges and walls were sometimes built with living victims immured within, as seen in historical accounts and archaeological findings.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is immurement?

Immurement is the practice of bricking someone up into a cramped space with only a small hole through which food and water could be passed.

Who were the first recorded cases of immurement used as a punishment?

The first recorded cases of immurement being used as a punishment go back as far as the times of ancient Rome.

What was the punishment for Vestal Virgins who broke their vow of chastity?

The sentence for any transgression by Vestal Virgins was death. To avoid spilling their blood, they were buried alive or imprisoned in a tiny, inescapable room with a small supply of food and water.

How was immurement used by religious figures?

Religious figures such as priests, monks, and nuns would voluntarily undergo immurement for a predetermined amount of time as a self-imposed penance or for deep spiritual reflection.

What was the practice of anchoresses?

Anchoresses were nuns who would spend years at a time bricked up into a tiny space within their local church, often accompanied by a small child.

What happened to James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell?

James Hepburn spent the last five years of his life as a prisoner in Dragsholm Castle, chained up in a space so small that he could not stand, and completely isolated from any human contact. He died shortly after his release.

What is the significance of the discovery during the demolition of Blackfriars Bridge?

During the demolition of Blackfriars Bridge in London in 1867, workmen discovered a quantity of both animal and human remains in the foundations, confirming stories that people had been buried alive during the bridge’s original construction.

What is the story behind the wall built around the city of Acre by Ahmad Pasha al-Jazzar?

Ahmad Pasha al-Jazzar, nicknamed the butcher, captured a large number of Greek Christians and built them into the wall around the city of Acre, leaving their heads protruding so he could enjoy their suffering and eventual demise.

Are there recent examples of immurement?

Yes, there are examples of immurement being used as a form of prolonged execution relatively recently. In 1903, men were bricked up and left to die as punishment for various offences.

Sources

• Original Into the Shadows video: Historical Immurement: People Who Were Bricked Up or Buried Alive
• Hero image source by Niels Elgaard Larsen / openverse, by-sa.

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