Pirates of the Caribbean
Archaeologists researching a site where Caribbean pirates "laid their hats" have found the drunken men not only smoked like the devil but also preferred fine pottery. They were sort of the real "Pirates of the Caribbean."
Barcadares Site
Excavation work at the Barcadares site. Located 15 miles up the Belize River the area was very remote during the 18th century.
Rustic Life
At the Barcadares site, the pirates would've lived a rustic life, sleeping on above-ground platforms, with a canvas to keep out mosquitoes.
Delft Ware
More than half of the ceramics from the Barcadares are made of this a soft, decorative, soft tableware called delft ware, which would've been impractical at such a remote location.
Finely-Crafted Bowl
This porringer (a handled bowl) was one of a few stoneware artifacts found at the Barcadares site. The material is tougher than delft ware but, in this case, is still finely crafted.
Fine Dining
A reconstruction showing what the shape of the porringer would have been like.
Pirate Porcelain
The scientists found bits of Chinese porcelain (shown at front), with a reconstruction of what they would've looked like if intact.
Pirate Loot
The top of a square-sided case bottle found at the site; it was likely kept inside a wooden box.
Smoked Like Chimneys
About 36 percent of all the artifacts at the Barcadares are made up of tobacco pipes (shown here), indicating that the pirates were heavy smokers.
Tobacco Pipes
Drawings showing the different types of tobacco pipes found at the site.
