Why did pirates have piercings?

Some pirates were convinced that wearing an earring would improve or even cure bad eyesight, as they believed that the precious metals in an earring possessed magical healing powers. Another tale was that pierced ears would prevent seasickness.

Why would pirates wear earrings?

Many pirates also had their home port engraved onto the earring so that people would know where they were from. Other purported benefits of gold earrings include keeping seasickness at bay, and preventing drowning at sea.

Did pirates really wear jewelry?

Another way to differentiate a pirate from an ordinary sailor is that pirates often wore jewelry. Jewelry was an easy way to keep your money and wealth close to you at all times. Rings and necklaces were easily portable wealth and hard to steal since they were on their person.

Do all pirates wear earrings?

However, without a great deal of concrete evidence of what pirates actually wore, and the thinking behind their outfits, not everyone is convinced that pirates' iconic earrings were ever really a thing. “Pirates didn't really wear earrings at all—or bandanas,” says Angus Konstam, author of Pirate: The Golden Age.

What kind of earrings did pirates wear?

The gold earrings pirates wore served a couple different purposes. The gold hoops ensured that if their body washed ashore there would be enough money for a funeral, as whoever found the body could use the gold jewelry as payment for burial.

Did Pirates Have Tattoos? | The Pirates Port

Why did pirates pierce their left ear?

Some pirates were convinced that wearing an earring would improve or even cure bad eyesight, as they believed that the precious metals in an earring possessed magical healing powers. Another tale was that pierced ears would prevent seasickness.

Why do pirates have yellow teeth?

They didn't brush their teeth.

It wasn't until 1938 that the modern toothbrush was invented. Until then, if pirates cleaned their teeth at all it would have been with a “chew stick” which was less than effective at keeping teeth clean and plaque at bay.

Did pirates brush their teeth?

Pirates Did Not Brush Their Teeth!

The toothbrush that we use today was not invented until 1938; long after pirates sailed the seven seas. If pirates ever did clean their teeth it would have been using a "chew stick" which was not a very effective way to keep teeth clean and free of plaque.

Why do pirates hide their one eye?

Over time, swashbucklers who often found themselves embroiled in combat had learned how to adapt. Of course, the only way to move stealthily through the dark of night was to utilize your eyes to the fullest. By wearing a patch over one eye, pirates could “trick” their vision into adjusting to darkness more quickly.

Did pirates sleep in beds?

Some of them slept on hammocks. Others slept on the floor. It was easier for them to sleep on hammocks because they swayed and rocked with the ship's movements. They also didn't have to worry about falling off beds during storms or high tides.

Did pirates ever shower?

Bathing or washing was pretty much a no-go on a pirate ship as water could not be wasted; those who fancied a shower would have to stand outside in the rain and risk pneumonia! Visiting the bathroom, however, was a much more feasible exercise, thankfully.

Did pirates really get drunk?

Strong alcohols such as rum and brandy were often used on long voyages to disinfect stagnant water, and to sweeten the flavour. So you see; pirates were always drunk because even their water had alcohol in it.

Did pirates have PTSD?

Current research on the mental health impacts of piracy has documented some of these effects in some seafarers. Antonio Ziello has documented diagnosable PTSD in three of four Italian seafarers held by pirates that he interviewed, as well as other impacts [45].

Why do pirates wear eyeliner?

The answer—courtesy of the Wall Street Journal and Mythbusters—may surprise you! Some assume pirates wore eye patches to cover a missing eye or an eye that was wounded in battle, but in fact, an eye patch was more likely to be used to condition the eye so the pirate could fight in the dark.

Why did pirates wear baggy clothes?

Seamen of all kinds were noted for wearing baggy trousers, often with bell-bottoms since this easily used all of the cloth from a bolt of material like serge. Baggy trousers had the advantage they could be easily rolled up when swabbing the decks, climbing rigging, or wading ashore.

Why do pirates wear head scarfs?

Did you know that pirates used a headscarf to keep sweat from entering their eyes and to protect their long hair from getting caught in the rigging?

Why did pirates drink rum?

So, why did pirates drink rum? In short, it was a valuable way to make water last longer and keep the crew in high spirits. While you may not need to make grog or prevent scurvy, you can think of the many long years of history as you enjoy our award-winning Pusser's Rum.

Why did pirates have parrots?

A colorful talking bird would have been expensive, so pirates probably stole them along with other valuable cargo. The crew on a pirate ship may have been glad to have these intelligent birds onboard to entertain them on long, dull voyages.

Why are pirates scared of the black spot?

In Treasure Island

It consists of a circular piece of paper or card, with one side blackened while the other side bears a message and is placed in the hand of the accused. It was a source of much fear because it meant the pirate was to be deposed as leader, by force if necessary—or else killed outright.

Did pirates have toilets?

Pirate ships didn't have toilets. Instead, they had “heads,” which were basically holes cut into planks that emptied into the water. The plank and hole were usually located at the head of the ship. The term is still used to describe toilets on ships, among other places, today.

How did pirates have clean water?

This was because the water wasn't stored perfectly. It was stored in wooden casks and not filtered or pasteurized. Pirates would mix it with alcohol or an alcoholic beverage like rum to keep it less hazardous.

What was pirate hygiene like?

Pirates were very well known for their lax personal hygiene habits, and in fact the term “pirate bath” refers to a quick wash wherein you was only your private parts and armpits with water (in the case of pirates this was often seawater).

What disease did pirates get?

Scurvy, a disease caused by lack of vitamin C, sickened sailors who had no access to fresh food supplies, and killed more than 2 million sailors between the 16th and 18th centuries alone.

Why didn't pirates brush their teeth?

They didn't brush their teeth.

The modern toothbrush wasn't invented until 1938. Before then, pirate rarely thought to clean their teeth. If they did, it would have been with a “chew stick” which was a much less effective bootleg version of a toothbrush.

How did pirates get vitamin C?

Today, it is known that the sailors' scurvy was caused by vitamin C deficiency. Because fresh fruits and vegetables could not be stored on board, lime juice provided the vitamin C the sailors needed. Source: Hamilton E., Sizer F., Whitney E. Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies.