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Pirate Week
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An illustrated treasure map with a dotted red path, pirate ships, palm trees, and a skull-shaped rock, overlaid with a Pirate Week banner featuring a skull and crossbones graphic. Infographic titled Pirates Throughout History showing a world map with highlighted regions of major pirate activity and a timeline of significant piracy events from ancient times to the 2010s, including notable pirates and key historical moments.
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An illustrated treasure map with a dotted red path, pirate ships, palm trees, and a skull-shaped rock, overlaid with a Pirate Week banner featuring a skull and crossbones graphic.
Pirate Week Pirate treasure map.

Pirate Week

Avast! Here be a trove of piratical treasures.
Written and fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
Britannica Editors

Ahoy, mateys! Itā€™s #PirateWeek at Britannica. Grab your cutlass and your map and join us (here and on Facebook and Twitter) as we unearth some of our greatest pirate-related treasures.

First of all, do you really know what a pirate is? Whatā€™s the difference between pirates, privateers, corsairs, and buccaneers? To get into the mood, you might want to check out some of these episodes from history: that time Julius Caesar was captured by pirates; the tale of Barbarossa, a pirate who became an unlikely admiral; or the story of Black Caesar, one of the many slaves who chose a free life on the open ocean.

If you plan to sail the seven seas, you may want to brush up on which seven those actually are. And if sailing is not really your thing, you may also wonder: just how many oceans are there?

On our way, weā€™ll learn how to traditionally celebrate Talk Like a Pirate Day (September 19), but did you know that what we think of as ā€œpirate speakā€ is largely due to one film actor? If you want to really level up your authenticity, check out this list of ā€œsea languageā€ terms from Britannicaā€™s first edition, published in 1768.

If riches are your aim, you might want to check out this list of amazing (and expensive) gems, or this video about a mysterious Canadian island that is rumored to hold buried treasure. If youā€™re more in it for the adventure, check out this list of 5 things you can shoot from a cannon. Donā€™t do anything we wouldnā€™t do, but it may also be important for you to know whether international waters are actually lawless.

We know all of this high-sea adventure might seem a bit overwhelming, so make sure you leave time for a relaxing drink. Just donā€™t drink any of that ocean waterā€”itā€™s not great for you because itā€™s full of salt. How did that salt get there, anyway?

Infographic titled Pirates Throughout History showing a world map with highlighted regions of major pirate activity and a timeline of significant piracy events from ancient times to the 2010s, including notable pirates and key historical moments.
Pirates Throughout HistoryThe infographic shows where pirates have been active throughout history.

We hope you enjoy the course weā€™ve set! What are you waiting for? Hoist the sail!

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