blood eagle

English

Noun

blood eagle (plural blood eagles)

A method of Viking ritual execution, in which the ribs are opened from the back, and the lungs pulled out and arranged to resemble wings.

Usage notes

Some historians maintain that blood eagle executions were actually never carried out, and that the concept is based on misinterpretation of the Norse sagas.

Translations

method of execution

Finnish: verikotka

Swedish: blodörn c

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