Pirate Lore
Many legends and stereotypes exist about pirates and our namesake, Long John Silver, from the
classic novel Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, influenced a lot of them. Below are 10
interesting facts and myths we’ve gathered to help you get more in touch with your pirate side.
Where Did Pirates Come From?
Pirates are thieves who raid the seas and coastal lands. The golden age of piracy began in the
1600s. Thousands of men, and even women, chose this as their trade during this time. Some of
the most well known pirates began here: Blackbeard (Edward Teach), Henry Morgan (Was he a
captain?), William ‘Captain’ Kidd, and ‘Calico’ Jack.
Did they actually have hooks, peg legs, eye patches and earrings?
Peg legs most probably began with the story of our very own Long John Silver. Although, our
one-legged pirate does not actually have a peg leg in the book, movies later exchanged his crutch
for a wooden leg. This isn’t exactly far fetched though. A pirate’s life was very rough and would
routinely lead to major injuries, resulting in amputations. In order to stay on the ship and work
they would have to find someway to work, be that eye patches, hooks, or wood for a leg.
The odd ball in this is actually the earring. There is no evidence to suggest that pirates wore
earrings. It was not a fashion statement or common thing in this period, and no mention of
earrings were made along with their gold rings and silver buttons.
Pirate Lingo
The most popular pirate word, “Arrrgh”, started in 1930 with the actor Robert Newton, when he
played Long John Silver and many other pirates on the big screen. With his country English
accent and rolling R, he is forever remembered as the stereotypical pirate!
A lot of other pirate lingo, like ‘avast’ and ‘ahoy’, are actually terms that mariners use, whether
they were pirates or not.
Walk the Plank
This is most likely a myth. There is only one known account of pirates making someone walk
the plank. Historians have documented many popular torture tactics, but the plank was not one of
them. One historian, Hugh Rankin states, “The formality of a plank seems a bit absurd when it
was so much easier just to toss the prisoner overboard.”
Pirate Lore
Pirate Flags
They did in fact fly flags! The flags were used to communicate warnings and scare nearby ships.
Early on, the flags were red (blood and battle) or black (death). Later they began using symbols,
and eventually every Captain and ship had its own customized flag. Captain Richard Worley first
flew the skull and crossbones, also known as the Jolly Roger, in 1718. This symbol had been
around since medieval times meaning ‘death’, but it became the most popular and recognizable
symbol for pirates.
Davy Jones’ Locker
This is actually a nautical term that dates back before the 18th century and was used amongst
sailors. The meaning has not changed since. Davy Jones was a slang term for the Devil or evil
spirits of the ocean. Davy Jones’ Locker was the bottom of the sea, so when someone was sent
there it meant to perish at sea.
The Pirates of the Caribbean’s portrayal of Davy Jones, was however, not true. He was never the
Captain of the Flying Dutchman or the Black Pearl.
Kraken
Dating back to 1752, the Kraken is known as an enormous monster capable of taking down an
entire ship and crew in a single jerk. In drawings and movies, the kraken looks similar to a squid
or octopus. While this was always considered a myth, today researchers know there may be a real
Kraken in the ocean. The giant squid is believed to be a living example of a Kraken. Although
they do not reach the size of the Kraken (200 ft.) and could not take down an entire ship, they
would be large enough to capsize a small boat.
So is the Kraken a myth or fact? You decide.
Pirate Nicknames
Why did pirates have crazy names? Mainly because they wanted to keep government officials
from identifying and persecuting their families back home. Most of the names described certain
features or characteristics of the pirate.
What’s your pirate name? Check our Pirate Quiz to find out.
Lady Pirates?
But of course! It wasn’t common, but there were some who braved the hard life. Two of the
most famous females pirates were Anne Bonny and Mary Read who sailed with Calico Jack
Rackham. They were no ‘ship maidens’ either. Both dressed in men’s clothes and were just as
Pirate Lore
dangerous as any male pirate. Anne was an expert with a pistol and fearless in battle. Mary took
her lovers place in a duel she knew he could not win (She won, by the way).
Buried Treasure
The idea of buried treasure and maps are romanticized in movies and books, but is most likely a
myth. A myth mostly spurred on by Treasure Island and the search for buried pirate treasure.
Pirates lived for today because they may not be alive tomorrow. Therefore, they were extreme
squanderers and gamblers, rarely accumulating enough worth burying. Plus, a legitimate treasure
map has never been found.
William Kidd is the only known pirate that buried his treasure. He buried it on the islands at the
mouth of New York harbour and only part of it has been found. Weekend plans?
Works Cited
Pirates: Separating Fact from Mythology. Hubpages.com. June 29, 2012
Pirate Lore: Famous historical pirates and ships. Piratesinfo.com. Getemreading.com. May 21,
2001
Pirate Lore: 7 Myths and Trrrrruths About Pirates! Alex Santoso. Neatorama.com. October 22,
2007
Pirates of the Caribbean: Pirate Myths & Maritime Monsters. Pirates.hegewisch.net. August 12,
2011