Four cases of beheading from 14th–17th century Lithuania

Skeletal evidence of beheading in early modern Lithuania has been scarce, despite historical documentation indicating it as a popular practice. This study presents the first bioarchaeological cases of decapitation in early modern Lithuania, with four adult male individuals from the 14th–17th centuries A.D. that reveal evidence of perimortem lesions in the cervical and thoracic vertebrae. The osteological and radiological study of the affected bones suggests that the individuals might have been victims of episodes of interpersonal violence, rather than subjected to capital punishment.