Sanhedrin 45 – Stoning

When the condemned person was 4 amot (about 6 feet) from the stoning grounds, they would remove his clothing, except for a piece of material to cover his genitals, so as not to prolong his agony by the cushioning effect of the clothes. A woman remains also covered from the back – so says Rabbi Yehudah, but the Sages maintain that a woman is not stoned naked, rather, she is dressed in a single plain garment.

The elevation of the stoning grounds was twice a man's height. One of the witnesses pushes the condemned man by his hips, so that he falls on the side. If he dies from this fall, the court has fulfilled its obligation. If not, the second witness picks up a stone and casts it upon his chest. If he dies from this, it is sufficient; if not, all present throw rocks at him.

Art: John Singer Sargent - Purtud, Alpine Scene and Boulders