Zwoki

Zwłoki are the body of a deceased person; the standard Polish term is zwłoki with the ł. The non-diacritic form zwoki appears in texts without diacritics but is generally considered nonstandard. The term encompasses the corpse itself and remains in various states of preservation, including freshly deceased bodies and those that are partially skeletonized.

In legal, medical, and forensic contexts, zwłoki are handled by authorities and institutions such as morgues, police, or forensic institutes. An autopsy, or sekcja zwłok, is a postmortem examination performed to determine cause and manner of death, typically by a forensic pathologist. In Poland, such procedures may require consent of the deceased’s next of kin, or a court order in cases of unexplained, violent, or suspicious deaths.

Identification and examination of zwłoki involve external and internal assessment, documentation of distinguishing features, and comparison with records. Methods may include dental records, fingerprints, DNA analysis, and postmortem imaging like CT scans. The process facilitates identification, estimation of time since death, and examination for signs of disease or injury.

Decomposition and environmental conditions influence the appearance of zwłoki. Early postmortem changes include rigor mortis and livor mortis; progression leads through stages such as fresh, bloat, active decay, and skeletonization, with rate dependent on temperature, humidity, and insect activity.

Disposal and memorial practices fol