About Nooses

With the possible exception of the swastika, few symbols set off more imagery and emotion than that of a noose. Though originally used for a wide variety of tasks---from securing livestock to catching fish and keeping tents stable---these tightly wrapped knots came to personify menacing acts, from vehicles of bondage to instruments of death. Even the Bible includes the Job 18:10 notation: "A noose for him is hidden in the ground, And a trap for him on the path."

History

By the time England's Elizabethan era was in full swing, the noose was an essential component of life. Urban and agrarian people used this complex knot for so many everyday tasks, it had even become the topic of folklore. Of all of it's uses, the least productive was that of the hangman's noose, a tightly bound configuration of rope that---for reasons too obscure to note---was ritually tied under the chin or just behind the left ear of a "criminal" before a platform window opened to send the victim into a long-drop demise. If the drop didn't snap his neck, the force of the tightly wound knot slammed against his head and neck, ably finishing the job. The noose traveled to the colonies with pilgrims and remained a symbol of frontier justice until the 18th century, when it morphed from general farm aid and a hanging tool to an instrument of profound racist hatred.

How to Construct a Noose

To create a noose, one must master the art of the simple slipknot, and then repeatedly create a succession of slipknots to amass a stack of coils. The working end of the rope twists evenly around the first loop, then returns, continuing to build coil after coil until the desired number is reached. When the construction of a noose is complete, the user need only pull down the main loop to contract all of the coils so the unit is secure enough to do it's job.

Practical Uses for the Noose

Since time immemorial, fishermen have created miniature nooses that they fastened to the end of their fishing lines. Using the term Uni-knot, the mini-noose was the most popular type of knot because it held bait or a lure to the end of the line better than all other types of knots. Another nautical use for the noose is found in boating where it's used to secure eyelets and grommets on ropes or sheets to keep sails aloft and fittings secure.

Unique Noose Traditions

While the utilitarian benefit of building multiple coils adds to a noose's strength, the main objective of the wraps is to make the loop difficult to open or close. Over time, signature nooses became popular and the most complex and unique could literally identify the maker. Some noose users experimented with wet rope or grease coatings, but in general, the average noose remained virtually unaltered from its earliest design, featuring between six and eight coils of natural rope. Superstition called for 13 coils in certain ritualistic situations. Today's "tighten the noose" metaphor is regularly used to describe putting pressure on someone to act.

The Noose Becomes a Commercial Enterprise

As the 20th century approached, England sought to streamline it's noose industry after the Aberdare Committee issued a report recommending an end to the construction of hangman's nooses by executioners. Instead, the Prison Commission of the Home Office was asked to turn production over to a single manufacturer. The contract was given to the John Edgington and Company, that nation's largest rope manufacturer. Edgington's 13-foot Italian hemp noose became the national standard. Elsewhere, new materials were added to standard hemp hangman's nooses, including Chamois leather coverings, rubber washers and vulcanized rubber, each of which was to modify the rough edges of the rope.

Contemporary Symbol of Hatred and Violence

That the hangman's noose became a symbol of hatred in 20th century America is a well-documented fact. Of particular note were racially-motivated hangings staged by every level of society, from law enforcement officers to members of White Supremacy groups like the Ku Klux Klan. Despite time, landmark civil rights legislation and advances in tolerance, the 21st century has not been immune to tragedy as a result of hangings, draggings and other torture inflicted upon African-Americans, but those who have lived to see this symbol of strength turn to an instrument of torture have high hopes for its future and peaceful use.