Good Article on Crucifixion

[Minimalist]

The nails were not intended as a primary means of inducing death.  They were just a garnish on the proceedings.  Either method would work.  The article marvels over the fact that we have only one bone which shows evidence of crucifixion but the case in point was evidently a young jewish rebel from a family wealthy enough to afford to have a family tomb and (probably) bribe officials to recover the body.  Add in the fact that the tip of the nail bent so that it could not be removed and you get a pretty specific chance why this evidence has been preserved.  As noted the bodies of the crucified were normally left on the cross to rot as a warning to others which would put a serious hole in the jesus bullshit story so the whole bit about Joseph of Arimathea was invented.

Of course the Special Pleading Chorus can be expected to sing out  "but this was JAY-SUS" not some criminal as they normally do.