"Burning at the stake" was a method of execution used primarily during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. It involved tying a person, often accused of witchcraft or heresy, to a stake and setting fire to the wood surrounding them. This brutal practice was intended to serve as a public spectacle and a warning to others. The act was often associated with the Inquisition and various religious movements, where individuals deemed a threat to the prevailing beliefs faced severe punishment. While it was a common form of execution in Europe, it gradually fell out of favor by the 18th century as attitudes toward justice and human rights evolved.