Our research has shown that pirate culture was rich in symbology. Symbols were used in tattoos, maps, and communications to convey hidden meaning.
Here are some of the symbols we understand and their meaning:
The X symbol
“X marks the spot” is a real principle among pirates… It was commonly used on treasure maps and secret codes.
Keys
Keys can have many meanings. 2 keys displayed side-by-side usually mean “trust”, while a key that has a skull-shaped head means “revenge”. 2 crossed keys mean “between” and is usually a symbol added to signatures on contracts between pirates (yes, pirates had contracts! In fact, they were generally very business-savvy!)
Rings
2 interlinked rings typically mean “wealth” or “reward” while 2 rings around a scroll symbolize the union between two parties and was commonly used to mean the word “and” in secret codes.
Masts
A ship with broken masts can have many meanings but mostly means “old” or “veteran”. Pirates often got tattoos with this symbol after their first successful voyage. 2 masts usually mean “authority” while 3 masts usually means “hang” or “hangs”.
Hearts
Most people associate heart symbols with love, but pirates are not most people! A black heart typically means “fear for your life”. A bleeding heart may mean “death is surely coming” or “slow and torturous death”. But it’s not all doom and gloom: a broken heart usually means “repentance” and 2 hearts together can mean “agreed” or “signed”.
This page is part of our public research efforts. For our latest research, check out our research partners page.