Module: Lie Detection Techniques (3/1)

CHAPTER III

EARLY METHODS OF DETECTING DECEPTION

At the end of this chapter the students should be able to learn:

 Discuss the different types of ordeals in early years;

 Describe different countries used this as a form of judicial process.
Ordeal is a term of various meanings
closely related to the medieval Latin “dei
indicum” meaning “miraculous decisions” for
ancient cases were decided through several
tests usually on physical strength. Ancient
method of trial in which the accused is exposed
to physical danger which was supposed to be
harmless if innocent.

1. Red Hot Iron Ordeal. This is the ordeal that is practiced in the hill tribe of Rajmal in North
Bengal. The accused places his tongue to a hot iron nine times (9) unless burned sooner.
Sometimes the accused also is made to carry the metal in his hands. If burned, the accused
is put to death.

2. Ordeal by Balance. This is practiced in the Institute of Vishnu, India. This ordeal is makes
use of a scale of balance wherein he accused and accuser shall be placed in both ends of the
balance (seesaw like). The person to be adjudged lighter than the other shall be acquitted.
On the other hand, the person to be adjudged guilty is the one heavier.

3. Ordeal by Boiling Water. This ordeal is used to point the thief in modern Africa. The subjects
plunged their right arms into the boiling pot to the elbow and step to the other side of the fire.
All are told to undergo the tests without murmuring. The one by the time has lost some or
showed blisters would prove that he or she is the thief.
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4. Ordeal by Rice Chewing. The ordeal is used to determine who is telling the truth or lying.
This is practiced in India. It is formed with the kind of rice called “Sathee”, prepared with
various incantations. The person on trial eats, with his face to the east and then spits upon a
peaceful leaf. If the saliva is mixed with blood or the corner of his mouth swells or if he
trembles, he is declared to be a liar.

5. Ordeal of the Red Water. This ordeal is used in Eastern Africa. The accused shall be
required to fast for twelve hours. He shall e required to swallow small amount of cooked rice
and be given emetic red water extracted from the Sassy Tree bark. If the accused emits or
cough out the rice, he is adjudged guilty of the charge, otherwise the accused is innocent.

6. Trial by Combat. This ordeal orders a fight between the accuser and the accused. Whoever
lost the fight will be adjudged guilty. The one who wins the fight at the same time wins the
case.

7. Ordeal by Drinking Decoction. The ordeal that requires the accused to be given a decoction
to drink by a priest. If the accused was harmless after drinking the decoction, then he is
innocent but if he dies, he is guilty. This ordeal was practiced in:
a. Nigeria
b. Brahamic India
c. India

8. Ordeal by Eating Corsnead. This ordeal is practiced in China and Alexandria, Egypt. The
accused is given uncooked dry rice to swallow and afterwhich spit out the same. If the accused
spits out the rice to be still dry, he is considered innocent.

9. Ordeal by the Eucharist. This ordeal is reserved for the clergy and administered with pomp
and ceremony in the European Countries. The accused will be given any liquid food that may
cause death to any person. If the accused is innocent, Angel Gabriel will descend from
heaven and prevent the accused from swallowing the food given to him.
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10. Ordeal of the Bier. This ordeal is applied to a mystery death of a person. The corpse will be
brought on a bier of boughs after which the natives will ask the corpse he/she has been
bewitched. If the victim died by witchcraft, the bier is supposed to know more and if the
sorcerer who killed him is present, the corpse will touch him/her. This is practiced in countries
of the continent of Australia and Europe.

11. Ordeal by Heat and Fire. In this ordeal, the accused is compelled to walk in bare foot through
the fire, if he remains unhurt then he is innocent. This ordeal was practiced in:
a. East Germany
b. Early Scandinavian Countries
c. Early England

12. Ordeal by Boiling Oil or Water. The accused is forced to dip his hand into the boiling water
or oil and ask to pick up stone in it. If the accused picked up the stone placed in the boiling
oil/water unhurt, the accused is innocent, otherwise he is guilty. This is practiced in Asian
Countries.

13. Ordeal by Using Red Hot Needle. This is the ordeal used to determine if the accused or any
person is telling a lie or not. A red hot needle shall be drawn through the lips of the accused.
The accused will not be hurt, or the accused’s lips will not be burned if he is innocent. If the
accused suffered blisters and burns, he is construed to be guilty of the offense charged. This
is practiced in Wanaka, East Africa.

14. Ordeal of the Tiger. This is the ordeal that makes use of a tiger to be set loose towards the
accused and the accuser placed together. The one that spares or untouched by the tiger is
considered innocent. If both were spared, further elimination will follow. This ordeal is
practiced in Siam.

15. Ordeal by Combat. This is the ordeal that was vividly dramatized in the movie entitled
“Ivanhoe” that was based from the novel of the same title that became the only legal ordeal
that was practiced in England during the reign of Henry III. The accuser and accused shall
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convene a duel or fight where the winner shall be adjudged as innocent, the looser to be guilty
of the charge. Those persons not proficient in weapons and those who could not afford to do
so could hire champions in the field to do the fighting for them.

16. Ordeal of the Cross. The ordeal that lets the accuser and accused to stand with arms crossed
on their breasts infront of atleast 3 designated adjudicator. The one who endures the longer
is deemed to have told the truth. This is practiced in European Countries.

17. Ordeal by Waxen Shirt. The accused is dressed with cloth covered with wax and required to
walk in barefoot over burning coals. If unhurt through the fire and the wax did not elt, the
accuse is innocent, otherwise guilty.

18. Ordeal of the Donkey’s Tail. As a psychological theory, a donkey is placed in a room alone
and it will be observed. If the donkey cried or made noise inside the room, a judgment of guilt
in the commission of crimes is presumed.

SELECTED COUNTRIES THAT PRACTICES ORDEALS

A. BURMA OR MYANMAR. The most common ordeal that was practiced in this country is the
ordeal by candle lighting. The accuser and accused are given each identical candle to be
lighted at the same time. The person that holds the candle that burned first ahead is guilty or
a liar. The candle that burned the longest determined which told the truth.

B. BORNEO. This is the ordeal that utilizes two shell fishes to represent the accuser and
accused. The two shell fishes shall be put in a plate and an irritating fluid was then be poured
onto them. The shellfish that represents the litigant that moves first shall be adjudged to be
innocent or the winner.

C. GREECE. The ordeal by the use of axe is used to determine the guiltiest person. A suspended
axe shall be spanned at the center of a group of suspects. When the axe stopped, whoever
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was in line with the blade is the one to be most guilty among the suspects as pointed out by
the divine providence.

D. NIGERIA. The common ordeal used in Nigeria is with the use of a cock’s feather. The priest
utilizes a cock’s feather and pierces into the tongue of the accused. If the feather passed
through the tongue easily, the accused is deemed innocent. The other ordeal is with the use
of a corrosive fluid. It will be poured into the eyes of the accused. If the accused was unharmed
then he is innocent, if suffered bruises/blisters and injuries, the accused shall be deemed
guilty.

E. EUROPE AND EARLY USA (17TH CENTURY). Ordeal by water is the common ordeal used
in these continents. This ordeal is used on those accused of witchcraft. The accused is bound
on his hands and feet and put into the body of water. If the body of the accused sank, he is
guilty to be punished to death by burning. If he is half-drawn or remains on the surface of the
water, the accused is innocent.

F. MADAGASCAR. Legal authorities practiced trial by Ordeal. The supposed criminal is made
to drink a poisonous fruit juice called “tangena,” a small dose can be fatal. By managing the
size of the dose, those who administer it can decide result.

However, in some books authored by well known writers and academicians, The
Hereditary Sieve Method was mentioned by Sir Hans Gross his famous book in Criminal
Investigation in which beans are to be thrown into a sieve (bigao in vernacular) as the name
of each suspect is called. If the bean jumps out of the sieve, the owner of the name is innocent.
If the bean remains in the sieve, the person named is the thief.

The Ayur-Veda is a Hindu book of health and sciences that is believed to be the
earliest reference of the ordeals or methods of detecting deception as adopted by several
countries in the world specially Europe. It is also believed to be the basis in the creation of a
polygraph machine.
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TOPICS VIDEO LINKS

What is TRIAL BY ORDEAL? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27JKMgbqIXg

Trial By Ordeal - BRUTAL Medieval https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHc1haeckOs

Justice

Darkest & Most Disturbing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFIcrJRieWo

Practices From Human History

References:
King-eo, Chester (2006). Introduction to Specific Lie Detection. Unpublished notes from the University of
the Cordilleras: Baguio City

http://www.truthverifier.com.html
http://wwwpolytest.org/polyfaq.htm