. ▁These ▁examples ▁illustrated ▁the ▁kinds ▁of ▁hum ili ating ▁rit uals ▁that ▁accompanied ▁the ▁taking ▁of ▁the ▁o ath : ▁By z antine ▁Empire , ▁ 1 0 th ▁century : ▁the ▁Jew ▁would ▁wear ▁a ▁g ird le ▁of ▁th orn s ▁around ▁his ▁lo ins , ▁stand ▁in ▁water , ▁and ▁swe ar ▁by ▁" Bar ase ▁Bar aa " ▁( B eres hit ▁Bar a ), ▁so ▁that ▁if ▁he ▁spoke ▁un tr uth , ▁he ▁would ▁be ▁sw allowed ▁by ▁the ▁earth ▁just ▁like ▁D athan ▁and ▁Ab ir am ▁in ▁Num bers ▁ 1 6 : 1 – 2 7 . ▁Ar les ▁( c . ▁ 1 1 5 0 ): ▁a ▁w re ath ▁of ▁th orn s ▁would ▁be ▁hung ▁on ▁the ▁swe ar er ' s ▁neck , ▁others ▁would ▁gro vel ▁at ▁his ▁kne es , ▁and ▁a ▁th orn ▁branch ▁five ▁ ells ▁in ▁length ▁would ▁be ▁pulled ▁" between ▁his ▁lo ins " ▁while ▁he ▁sw ore ▁and ▁called ▁down ▁upon ▁himself ▁all ▁the ▁curs es ▁of ▁the ▁Tor ah . ▁Sw ab ia ▁( 1 3 th ▁century ): ▁the ▁Jew ▁would ▁stand ▁on ▁the ▁hide ▁of ▁a ▁sow ▁or ▁a ▁blo ody ▁l amb . ▁S iles ia ▁( 1 4 2 2 ): ▁the ▁Jew ▁would ▁stand ▁on ▁a ▁three - leg ged ▁st ool ▁and ▁have ▁to ▁pay ▁a ▁fine ▁each ▁time ▁he ▁fell , ▁finally ▁losing ▁his ▁case ▁if ▁he ▁fell ▁four ▁times . ▁Dort