1.
Pirate Earrings Served As An Insurance Policy To Finance Their Burials
Pirates spent their lives on the high seas but they didn't want to spend death at the
bottom of an ocean (or Davy Jones’s Locker).
The infamous piercings that pirates wore in their ears were actually insurance to make
sure that they'd be given a proper burial.
Whether gold or silver, the precious metal could be melted down and sold to pay for a
casket and other funeral necessities even if a pirate's dead body washed ashore.
Some pirates went so far as to engrave the name of their home port on the inside of the
earrings so that their bodies could be sent home for a proper burial.
2.
There Was A Secret To Maintaining Blackbeard's Terrifying Facial Hair - Using Hemp Kept It
In Frightening Shape
Born Edward Teach, Blackbeard was arguably the most terrifying pirate in the world and
he built his reputation on hemp.
In the early eighteenth century, Blackbeard captained the Queen Anne’s Revenge but before
capturing that ship or any other he'd weave hemp into his long dark beard and under his
captain hat.
Once he lit the hemp on fire, smoke billowed out from his face and made his opponents fear
for their lives.
In addition to his burning beard, Blackbeard also wore a crimson coat and carried at least
two swords, pistols, and knives at all times.
3.
No, Pirates Weren’t All Missing An Eye - The Patches Helped Them With Night Vision
Some pirates were definitely missing eyeballs; their ships were dangerous places, after all.
But other pirates wore eye patches for different reasons.
By wearing an eye patch, the sea buccaneers could always keep one eye adjusted to night
vision.
Pirates spent a lot of time going from the bright light above deck to the darkness below
deck, especially when they were raiding ships or defending their own.
If he lifted his patch before going below deck, a pirate could instantly see even if
there was only a little light.
4.
No One Ever Wanted To See The Bloody Red Pirate Flag
The Jolly Roger flag that flew from pirate masts was terrifying but the most dreaded
sea flag was red.
A ship hoisting a red flag warned its enemies that no mercy would be given to a captured
ship; everyone on board would be killed immediately.
The red flag was sometimes called the “Bloody Red” and if it replaced a skull and crossbones
flag, the pirates under siege might sometimes jump ship.
5.
Pirates Doubled As Mixologists - They Created A Drink That Prevented Certain Diseases
Credit for the invention of grog goes to sailors in the British Navy, who first started making
the drink some time in the 1600s.
To avoid drinking slimy water contaminated with algae and microbes, the sailors mixed
rum into their water.
In 1731, the British Navy gave each sailor half a pint of rum per day; that was equivalent
to over five shots of alcohol.
Pirates borrowed the recipe for grog and made it legendary by adding lemon juice (it helped
prevent scurvy) and sugar (it tasted good).
Their's was a drink that packed a punch.
6.
Most Pirates Didn’t Bury Their Treasure Because They Mostly Stole Booze and Weapons
Even though it’s easy to picture a pirate burying treasure on a tropical island, only
one pirate, William Kidd, was ever recorded as having buried treasure.
Kidd deposited his loot off the coast of Long Island but the scheme backfired when an ally
dug up the trove and used it as proof to convict Kidd of piracy.
There’s a good reason why most pirates didn't bury their treasure; most of their booty wasn't
gold and jewels.
Pirates typically stole food, alcohol, and weapons, in addition to lumber, cloth, and
animal hides - essentially, whatever ships might be carrying across the Atlantic.
Those goods weren't worth much in the ground so pirates used them immediately or sold them.
7.
Ladies Liked To Pirate Too
Women also took to the seas to make their fortunes.
One pair, Anne Bonny and Mary Read, sailed together on the pirate ship Revenge in 1720.
Anne Bonny even served as first mate.
Some, like Mary Read, chose to dress as men to hide their identities.
Unfortunately, their ship was captured and both women ended up in jail.
Bonny blamed their captain, Calico Jack, and reportedly cursed him in prison, saying, “Sorry
to see you there, but if you'd fought like a man, you would not have been hang'd like
a Dog."
8.
29 people just voted onThe Jolly Roger Is The Best Known Pirate Flag But It Has Many
Variations
The Jolly Roger black flag with a skull and crossbones might be the best known pirate
insignia but there are multiple versions of that banner.
The first mention of the Jolly Roger came from the 1724 book, A General History of the
Pyrates, by Charles Johnson.
Blackbeard’s flag, for example, featured a skeleton toasting the devil while spearing
a bleeding heart.
Others had red skeletons, hourglasses, or even men standing on skulls.
9.
Most Pirates Enjoyed A Good Hostage Situation, Some Even Managed To Nab Julius Caesar
Pirates haunted the seas since humans first invented boats and they’ve captured their
share of famous hostages.
In 75 BCE, pirates captured Julius Caesar but when they only asked for a ransom of 20
talents, Caesar laughed in their faces and told them he was worth at least 50.
While he was held captive, Caesar serenaded the pirates with poetry.
Once his ransom was paid, though, Caesar had the pirates crucified as punishment.
10.
Pirate Earrings Also Served Another Practical Purpose; They Protected Hearing
Pirate ships were outfitted with numerous cannons.
Blackbeard’s Queen Anne’s Revenge, had a whopping forty.
Those cannons were vital during combat when a pirate ship might need to sink an enemy
to prevent capture.
Cannonballs were accompanied by a loud blast, though, and were known to deafen.
The crafty sea criminals would hang wads of wax from their earrings to prevent this sound
damage.
They popped the waxy contraptions into their ears like a makeshift earplug when firing
cannons.
11.
Pirates Practiced Gay Marriage As Early As The 1600s
Pirates spent long periods of time on ships surrounded by other men so it’s no surprise
that some shared intimate relationships.
Other pirates formalized same-sex relationships through a practice called matelotage, a French
word that may be at the root of the pirate greeting "Ahoy mate."
In pirate society, two men could join into matelotage and share all their plunder, even
receiving death benefits if one died before the other.
Pirate mates would live together, exchange gold rings, and sometimes even share female
prostitutes.
12.
Pirates Had All Kinds of Superstitions About Their Earrings
The earring might be the most famous piece of pirate jewelry; they were certainly very
practical.
The sea buccaneers were quite superstitious about the hoops, though, and there were many
myths about the earrings' otherworldly abilities.
One tale claimed that they could prevent sea sickness while another suggested that the
precious metals could cure bad eyesight.
Many pirates believed that a gold earring could prevent a man from drowning but that
myth was disproved a number of times.