blood eagle

Noun

 * 1) 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

 * Danish: blodørn
 * Finnish: verikotka
 * French:
 * German: Blutaar, Blutadler
 * Icelandic: blóðörn
 * Italian: aquila di sangue
 * Norwegian: blodørn
 * Old Norse: blóðörn
 * Spanish: águila de sangre
 * Swedish: blodörn
 * Turkish: kan kartalı