What is Decapitation?
{{for|the Polish technical death metal band|Decapitated (band)}} [[File:Jephthah's sacrifice - Maciejowski Bible.JPG|thumb|Painting of a beheading]] [[File:Pukak Thang - a traditional Meitei sword exclusively used for beheading of guilty people by executioners (Sanglingba), after being permitted by Meitei kings of ancient Kangleipak civilisation.jpg|thumb|300px|Beheading of guilty people by executioners ({{lang-mni|Sanglingba}}), ordered by [[Meitei people|Meitei]] kings of [[ancient Kangleipak]] civilisation]] '''Decapitation''' or '''beheading''' is the act of cutting off the [[head]] from the rest of the body of a living thing. ''Beheading'' usually means that the removal of the head is deliberate. It is generally done during an [[execution]] with an [[axe]], [[sword]], or [[guillotine]]. If the removal of the head is an accident or unintentional, it is called ''decapitation''. It can happen because of an auto accident, [[explosion]], factory accident, a mistake during a [[hanging]] or some other violent accident. Decapitation is always [[fatal]], that is, the result is always [[death]]. This is because it causes all other organs to stop receiving nervous signals from the brain that are needed to function, while the supply of blood, and therefore oxygen, to the brain itself is also cut off. Decapitation can also describe the removal of a head from a body that is already dead. In these situations, the head is usually a [[trophy]] or a public display of warning. Beheading was the usual means of death penalty in Scandinavian countries in the past. Noblemen were beheaded with a [[sword]], commoners with an [[axe]]. The last execution by beheading in Finland occurred in 1822, when a farmhand Tahvo Putkonen was beheaded for murder. The last beheading in Sweden occurred in 1910, when Johan Andersson-Ander was guillotined for murder. Also Germany, France and Belgium favoured beheading in the past. In those countries was carried out by [[guillotine]]. Last beheading in Europe occurred 1977, when a [[Tunisia]]n murd