Death by elephant. It sounds like a bizarre and horrific way to go. And it may sound absurd, but death by elephant, also known in India as Gunga Rao, was actually a popular method of execution in Africa and Asia during the Middle Ages.

Elephants are easily domesticated and extremely intelligent. Research has shown that they have extraordinary memories, can use objects as tools, and even recognise their own reflections. Human beings are also quite intelligent and at times extremely cruel, especially in finding new ways of killing other human beings when it comes to capital punishment. Then, it seems the one common theme is brutality, and the only differences are the methods used, because of location and cultural differences. Let’s travel back in time to take a look at this monstrous topic and the role that elephants played in both war and punishment during the Middle Ages.