The Breaking Wheel, also known as the Catherine Wheel, was a torture device used in medieval Europe. It consisted of a large wooden wheel with spokes, where the victim's limbs were bound and then systematically broken with a heavy object. This method was often used for severe crimes, serving both as punishment and a public spectacle. After the victim's bones were broken, they were sometimes left on the wheel to die slowly or were displayed as a warning to others. The Breaking Wheel was eventually abolished as societies moved towards more humane forms of punishment, reflecting changing attitudes towards justice and human rights.