Aye the kerchief!

[Swashbuckler 1700]

So this is topic for kerchief in sailor use especially in Gaop

They are exaggerated in movies but lets take a look of history

some "evidence" so to speak:

http://jcb.lunaimagi.../what/Artifacts, industry, and human activities/Pirates/where/[Amsterdam];sort:Normalized_date,Creators,Publisher,Title;lc:JCB~1~1,JCBBOOKS~1~1,JCBMAPS~1~1,JCBMAPS~2~2&mi=1&trs=22

Black sailor in 17th century

next one is offperiod but it proves that: even that some have claimed that bandanas were impractical (which they are not. the sweat and all and if you are sailor you can make a good knot and kerchief stays firmly on the head)

that was from 1807

Next: Avery from Johnson from 1725.

banbana in slave use

Someone post here that Bonny and Read court thing!

Edited March 22, 2012 by Swashbuckler 1700

[Swashbuckler 1700]

On the neck scarfs were in common place during whole age of sail at least from 17th to 19th century it is just small innovation to put one on your head...

On the neck scarfs were in common pacle like here

Bonny

1680s. pirate

Edited March 24, 2012 by Swashbuckler 1700

[Swashbuckler 1700]

There is good page here http://www.piratebrethren.com/articles/hats/hats01.html they aren't pirates but period people who use head scarfs. Note that it seems that they use it for keeping the hat on the head (and that is also what sailor would do if hat would be little too large)....

[Swashbuckler 1700]

In any case H.pyle and hollywood have exaggerated them greatly but there is some true in them...

[Fox]

The Bonny and Read quote is in GoF's post here: https://pyracy.com/index.php/topic/4205-dissecting-gaop-costume-part-1-reade-and-bonny/page__hl__%2Bdorothy+%2Bthomas__fromsearch__1

[Swashbuckler 1700]

Good

"...the two women... were then on board the said sloop, and wore mens jackets, and long trousers, and handkerchiefs tied about their heads..."

[Swashbuckler 1700]

[IvanHenry]

Let's see what I have....

These guys are Italian, but they are in a Harbor. 1650-1674. Check out the guy on the right. Wounded or sporting a kerchief?

Edited March 27, 2012 by IvanHenry

[Grymm]

They do make a bullet hard tarred hat a tad more comfy to wear and, mebbe not period but, they protect against the chemical burns you get if the tar's not cured proper.

I got bitumen on me whilst painting water tanks many years back and it tanned, dried and shrunk my skin on my face and hands very rapidly so it split red raw when I moved.

[Mission]

Hmm. Playing around with the image to make the scene of interest lighter and larger, it almost looks to me like the lad is describing a point under the kerchief and telling a story about it, to which Ivan and the burly chap are listening while Stynky goes about his work and Mission sleeps. Based on this (admittedly purely conjectural) interpretation, I'd say it's a bandage and the kid is telling the story of how he was so wounded.

Of course, when we consider that Stynky is shown working instead of listening or stealing people's hats, we must also recognize that this explanation may be completely wrong.

[Grymm]

There I was stood on this burning deck and........

Edited March 27, 2012 by Grymm

[Swashbuckler 1700]

An interesting note that MR David Rickman made in the book "Pirate: the Golden Age" (Osprey 2011) He noted that often when we see sailor of the age of sail wearing headscarves they are tied on forehead rather than the back (thought some pictures like the first one I have posted here show it tied on the back) He offered this example: Nelson's men celebrating the victory of the Nile in this 1798 cartoon. (see the man on the right with spotted kerchief)

And everything can happen I agree with that author this case: I agree about that the headscarves, when used by sailors, were more like a temporary sweat band rather than casual wear. They were also clearly less common than round hats and knitted( or other) caps.