OFF WITH YOUR HEAD

A guillotine made a clean, quick chop

DÉCLIC

This was the lever that triggered the execution. When the executioner pulled it, the blade was released from the top.

LUNETTE

This head restraint opened up so that the neck and head could be placed into position. The top half was lowered over the neck so that the head couldn’t be moved.

BLADE POSITIONING

The rope ran through a wheel placed below the frame. An executioner controlled the height of the blade by turning this wheel to release or raise the rope.

WEIGHTY FALL

Called a mouton, this block held the blade in place while adding weight to make the blade fall faster. Combined, the blade and mouton weighed 40 kilograms.

CUTTING BLADE

The steel blade sliced through the necks of those being executed.