I've occasionally discussed this issue with some of my friends (ok, I'm a psycho - so what), and according to one, whose grandfather drowned, was dead for 15 minutes, and then raised, drowning should be a pleasant experience once you stop panicking. Very peaceful and painless.
Being burned alive should be pretty ok as well, as the smoke and pain would render you unconscious pretty fast. Teoretically, though, if you tie somebody to a chair, and slowly charrs them with a blowtorch or similar, they could be kept alive for a long time...
Looking back in time you'll appreciate that our ancesters really knew how to torment people. Vlad Dracul of Romania used to impale his enemies on wooden sticks, which - in addition to the anal humiliation - would mean a good few hours of pain before death would occur. The ancient egyptians executed in a much faster but brutal way, by continually tightening a string with evenly spaced knots around your head, until you, well, popped.
Also one should not forget crucifixion which is the process in which your own body weight tears you apart with the added bonus of thirst and hunger. The process of dying in this way can be prolonged if the victim is tied to the cross instead of nailed.
For the most painful ways to go, I believe you should look at the history of Scandinavia. Back in the age of the vikings, they had a process called "grilling an eagle", which consisted in tearing your ribs out your back, leaving you on the stomach waiting for gravity to compress your organs. Later, in the 17th century, when Schweden reclaimed Skaane and Haland, they punished danish collaboraters by hammering a metal spear next to their spine, and then planted the end firmly in the ground. Dying should apparently have taken up to a week.
It may appear like I have an unhealthy interest in this topic. I really don't, I just have a problem forgetting things that really do me no good in my daily life. This is also why I remember each and every scene of the horror movies I've seen in my time, and why I know heaps of stuff about sharks.
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