The Raiders, a football team in the United States, use a twist on the skull and bones symbol on their uniforms to warn other teams of the danger of playing against them. The skull and bones symbolized the danger of the sport and rebellion. Rugby teams in Great Britain started using the skull and bones symbol in the 1870s. It symbolized memento mori and later the victory of Christ over death.ĭifferent teams have used the skull and bones symbol. In Northern Europe, the skull and bones were used on rosaries and large wall hangings. In the 1850s in New York, the skull and bones symbol was first used on medication to show danger or death. The skull and bone symbol was also used by Nazi troops during World War II. During World War I some pilots used the skull and bone insignia on their airplanes. The White Kornilov Division, during the Russian Civil War, had skull and bone patches. Many divisions of the British Army also use the skull and bones on parts of their uniforms. The Kuperjanov Battalion of the Estonian army uses the skull and bones as a symbol. The United States Marine Corps also uses the skull and bones as an emblem. The Royal Navy Submarine Service now uses the Jolly Roger as its official emblem. With the decline of pirates, some military vessels used the skull and crossbones flags, also known as the Jolly Roger, to show their toughness and ferocity.

The skull and bones symbol was associated with pirates from the 14th century onwards. The skull and crossbones symbol was developed from Danse Macabre symbolism originating in France. It was used as a memento mori, an artistic reminder of death, on tombstones during that time. This symbol was used as a symbol of death around 1200 A.D. There are beliefs that the modern skull and bones symbol came from Ancient Egypt where pharaoh’s tombs would have the pharaoh carved in the top with two crossing scepters beneath.

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