Att falla i god jord - En bioarkeologisk analys av massgrav II från Sankt Mikaels kyrkogård i Lund

Sammanfattning: The Swedish archaeological and bioarchaeological research on executions and execution victims in the past is very sparse. This is partly due to the fact that people who were executed by law were by norm buried outside of the communities and cemeteries. The aim with this study is to contribute knowledge to the field. This is done by bioarchaeologically examine a mass grave containing six individuals who were decapitated. The excavation took place in 1927 at St Michael’s cemetery, Lund, the material is dated to the 16th century. The six individuals had been decapitated and buried together, all headless. Six skulls were found in a pit about 50 centimeters from the grave. By using bioarchaeological methods for examining sex, age, health status, osteometrics, paleopathology and trauma, the author discuss the methods of execution and burial, the diagnosing of one of the individuals possible syphilitic lesions and the six men’s socioeconomic background. The results show that the individuals were men of middle age and of good health. One of the men did have syphilis. The individuals were decapitated by axe and thereafter their remnants were nailed to a pole or such for public display. The author states that the individuals more likely were rather wealthy political opponents than mercenaries which has former been proposed by other sources. It is though likely that they were killed in connection with, or shortly after, one of two battles that occurred in and around Lund during the first half of the 16th century, the Sören Norby-fejden and Grevefejden.