C alligraphy The art of beautiful or aesthetic writing. In combination with…

Pirates Pirate aesthetic and culture

Research… Find biographical information on 1 pirate. –For example Henry Morgan Find a map of an area of the world where pirates operated. Find examples of 10 actual, historical pirate flags. Find some sort of pirate type printed or written text. –More details to come… We will be creating…

The Pirate Map… In addition, you will be cutting your own quill and dyeing/aging your own paper.

Where did pirates operate? Pirates plied their trade mostly in the Atlantic (specifically around the Caribbean) – Why? –They operated off shipping so needed to stay close to shipping lanes and trade routes (between host countries and colonies). –They needed to re-supply often, so needed islands and land to come ashore. –Warm waters were easier to operate in than cold waters. Today pirates operate through-out the world. –However they are mainly found in warm waters – the Caribbean, off the coast of east Africa, around South America and the Indonesian Islands.

Map of the Caribbean during the heyday of pirates.

The Two types of pirates PRIVATEERS –Independent contractors, legally licensed by a legitimate government to attack and harass another countries shipping. During the Revolutionary War the US issued over 1,700 “Letters of Marque”. Jeremiah O'Brien, Captain of the Machias Liberty was one famous American Privateer. PIRATES –Individuals who had no license, but preyed on the shipping of any and all countries for their own enrichment (or refused to stop once their Marque expired). Edward Teach (Black Beard)

Maps included not only land masses and waterways, but practical embellishments such as compasses, directions, ocean currents, trade winds and meridian lines.

Since there were no satellites, map measurements and land masses were drawn based on what the cartographer visualized the land and water to look like from the air. For this reason, your map will be drawn from memory, not from life.

In addition to decorative embellishments that described where the map was from and what it showed, as well as sea monsters in the water to represent the unknown edges of the world (here there be monsters).

land vs. water Some method of showing the difference between the land and water needed to be created. Often this was a series of hatched lines or concentric lines.

actual pirate maps… The following maps were actually used by pirates to navigate (although whether or not any show real buried treasure is in dispute). –No treasure has been documented to have been found based on direction obtained from an authentic pirate treasure map.

A map supposedly used by Edward Teague (Blackbeard). Note the politically incorrect name given to Africa.

Fantasy maps

Recognize this classic pirate movie map?

Your map should include… An area of the ocean and land mass (drawn from memory, not traced or copied from an actual map). Some decorative element (as discussed in class) such as a compass, sea monster, coat of arms etc. Your flag. Text… –At least 25 words. –These should be both the names of land masses and oceans AND some additional trivia or biographical material(s). Your map may (but does not have to) include directions to buried treasure!

Assorted “piratey” text… Death warrant for one particular pirate…

Pirate Code of Conduct Bartholomew Roberts Shipboard Articles 1721 ARTICLE I - Every man shall have an equal vote in affairs of moment. He shall have an equal title to the fresh provisions or strong liquors at any time seized, and shall use them at pleasure unless a scarcity may make it necessary for the common good that a retrenchment may be voted. ARTICLE II - Every man shall be called fairly in turn by the list on board of prizes, because over and above their proper share, they are allowed a shift of clothes. But if they defraud the company to the value of even one dollar in plate, jewels or money, they shall be marooned. If any man rob another he shall have his nose and ears slit, and be put ashore where he shall be sure to encounter hardships. ARTICLE III - None shall game for money either with dice or cards. ARTICLE IV - The lights and candles should be put out at eight at night, and if any of the crew desire to drink after that hour they shall sit upon the open deck without lights. ARTICLE V - Each man shall keep his piece, cutlass and pistols at all times clean and ready for action. ARTICLE VI - No boy or woman to be allowed amongst them. If any man shall be found seducing any of the latter sex and carrying her to sea in disguise he shall suffer death. ARTICLE VII - He that shall desert the ship or his quarters in time of battle shall be punished by death or marooning. ARTICLE VIII - None shall strike another on board the ship, but every man's quarrel shall be ended on shore by sword or pistol in this manner. At the word of command from the quartermaster, each man being previously placed back to back, shall turn and fire immediately. If any man do not, the quartermaster shall knock the piece out of his hand. If both miss their aim they shall take to their cutlasses, and he that draweth first blood shall be declared the victor. ARTICLE IX - No man shall talk of breaking up their way of living till each has a share of l,000. Every man who shall become a cripple or lose a limb in the service shall have 800 pieces of eight from the common stock and for lesser hurts proportionately. ARTICLE X - The captain and the quartermaster shall each receive two shares of a prize, the master gunner and boatswain, one and one half shares, all other officers one and one quarter, and private gentlemen of fortune one share each. ARTICLE XI - The musicians shall have rest on the Sabbath Day only by right. On all other days by favour only.

The Jolly Roger flag…

What does the Jolly Roger mean? In the early days of the so-called "Golden Age of Piracy" (mid-to-late 1500's), pirates (especially French boucaniers, or buccaneers) kept two battle flags. One plain red and one plain black. Before a battle, the captain would hoist one or the other to show whether quarter was being given (for the non-English speakers, this is an archaic expression meaning whether or not prisoners would be taken). The red flag meant "no quarter" (no prisoners, slaughter every one of the enemy).

The flags of some famous pirates.

Almost all flags were white or white and red on black, and featured similar elements: skulls or skeletons (symbolizing death; and some flags pictured the captain toasting, dancing with, or literally conquering the skeletal Death).

Swords and cannon (obvious symbolism), treasure chests (ditto), hearts (often pierced, to symbolize "no mercy"), and pirates. The flags were designed to send a message… What do some of these other symbols mean?

Your flag should… Reflect your personality or you as an individual. Speak in the code of symbolism to do this. As elaborate as desired BUT, it should be easily seen and “read” from a distance. Can use up to two colors (plus black and white).

Some examples of “new” pirate flags…

Pirates today… Today, pirates still hunt in many warm costal areas of the world.

CALLIGRAPHY Some examples of calligraphy that is more adventurous in its layout and design…

Somewhat traditional layout…