Hi I recently became interested in beheadings - not because im gruesome and weird but because i didnt know such interesting facts about them that put them in a different light. I learned that being beheaded was actually an upper class way of death - either that or be hanged or burned. I learned that people would forgive and tip their executioners to do a good job. I also found out that you go unconscious after about 8 seconds and possibly feel your head hit the ground after you are decapitated. One thing im not sure about is the whole holding up the head business. I thought it was to show the crowd the head but i read around and some people say it was to show the head the crowd since the head is still conscious for a bit. Is that true?