Taken from the Åland Maritime Museum website: “This pirate flag is a real gem. There is only one other authentic skull and crossbones flag known of in the world. The flag is about 200 years old and came to Åland from North Africa’s Mediterranean coast where piracy was rife well into the 19th century. The flag is made from cotton and was once black, but weather, wind and the ravages of time have taken their toll. The skull and crossbones flag was first used in the early 18th century by pirates in the Caribbean and soon spread to other areas. Famous pirates had their own designs including motifs such as skeletons, hourglasses and various weapons. These symbols signalled the pirates’ readiness to fight to the death and were designed to terrify the crews of ships they attacked.” https://sjofartsmuseum.ax/en/cabinet-of-curiosities/ See some video from this on my latest YouTube video : https://youtu.be/NwO8jZ_tczo
