Thanks to fictional novels and movies, there are plenty of myths people still believe about pirates. Let’s check out some of the more popular ones and see what’s actually true.
Pirates Often Buried Their Treasure
One of the most popular myths about pirates is that they would often bury their treasure in a remote location and create a map so they could later retrieve it. However, there is no real evidence that this was a usual practice. Most of the time, pirates would either keep the treasures they would rob with themselves or spend them in ports.
Pirates Forced Prisoners to “Walk the Plank”
Almost every movie about pirates has a scene in which one character is forced to “walk the plank.” However, this practice isn’t supported by any historical records. If pirates wanted to kill one of their prisoners, they resorted to guns or swords.
Pirates Said “Ahoy” and “Aye Aye, Captain” a Lot
While pirates probably had their own lingo, it definitely didn’t include phrases like “ahoy” and “aye aye captain.” This is actually something that was completely made up by Hollywood for the purposes of pirate movies.
Pirates Don’t Exist Anymore
Most people think that pirates don’t exist anymore. However, pirates are still around, sailing the seas and looking to rob ships or take prisoners to exchange them for money. However, they no longer sail on wooden ships, wear eye patches, and have parrots as their pets.