Jolly
Roger
The
name "Jolly Roger" is thought to have come
from joli rouge (pretty red), a French description of
the bloody banner flown by early privateers. The flags
were meant to strike fear in the hearts of the pirate's
intended victims. They often featured skeletons, daggers,
cutlasses, or bleeding hearts on white, red, or black
fields. The skull and crossbones motif first appeared
around 1700 when French pirate Emanuel Wynne hoisted
his fearful ensign in the Caribbean — embellished with
an hourglass to show his prey that their time was running
out.
Ancient
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