Pirates have long been a popular tattoo design, especially among nautical tattoo enthusiasts. Technically, a pirate is anyone who commits robbery at sea (sometimes on shore) without the commission from a sovereign nation. Pirates have been around as long as people have used the oceans as trade routes. Pop culture paints pirates as rebellious, clever teams who operated outside the restricting bureaucracy of modern life. Pirates were also depicted as always raising their Jolly Roger flag when preparing to hijack a vessel. The Jolly Roger is the traditional name for the flags of European and American pirates, and a symbol for piracy that has been adopted by filmmakers and toy manufacturers.
In reality, many pirates ate poorly, did not become wealthy, and died young. Unlike traditional Western societies of the time, many pirate crews operated as limited democracies. Both the captain and the quartermaster were elected by the crew; they in turn appointed the other ship's officers. The captain of a pirate ship was often a fierce fighter in whom the men could place their trust. However, when not in battle, the quartermaster usually had the real authority. Many groups of pirates shared in whatever they seized; pirates injured in battle might be afforded special compensation similar to medical insurance. Often all of these terms were agreed upon and written down by the pirates, but these articles could also be used as incriminating proof that they were outlaws. Pirates readily accepted outcasts from traditional societies, perhaps easily recognizing kindred spirits,and they were known to welcome them into the pirate fold. Many of the pirate crews were slaves "liberated" from captured slavers. Such practices within a pirate crew were tenuous, and did little to mitigate the brutality of the pirate's way of life.
Even though pirates raided many ships, few if any buried their treasure. Often, the "treasure" that was stolen was food, water, alcohol, weapons, or clothing. Other things they stole were household items like bits of soap and gear like rope and anchors. For this reason, there was no need for the pirates to bury these goods. Pirates almost certainly had a system of hierarchy on board their ships, determining how captured money was distributed.
Famous pirates include Sir Francis Drake, "Blackbeard" Edward Teach, "Black Bart" Bartholomew Roberts and Nathaniel Butler.
Black & Gray Pirate Tattoo Designs
Color Pirate Tattoo Designs
Pirate Pinup Tattoo Designs
