By 1200, the use of heavy weights or devices to crush the skulls of individuals became a method of interrogation or execution in various cultures. This gruesome practice was often employed to extract confessions or punish perceived enemies. The application of such brutal techniques underscores the darker aspects of justice and power dynamics in medieval societies.

The practice of head crushing with weights or devices around 1200 became symbolic of mental collapse in psychological horror poetry, influencing writers like Edgar Allan Poe. Their works often explored themes of madness and despair, using such imagery to delve into the human psyche.