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Video: Skull and Crossbones
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How did the Skull and Crossbones, a representation of death, become the universal symbol for poison? This quick video tells you the history.
The symbol for poison.
The sign industry is an industry of symbols, and a symbol is an object that represents an entirely different idea. A really great symbol is one that's immediately recognizable. This symbol right here is the skull and crossbones, or the skull and bones, and it's one of the most effective symbols that we represent on our signs. The derivation of the symbol is a bit of a mystery, though. Let's take a look at some theories. Many historians think that the skull and bones symbol began in ancient Egypt. This is the sarcophagus of King Tutankhamun, King Tut. It's certainly a symbol for death, but the objects crossed over his chest are a scepter and a flail, not bones. Other historians believe the genesis of the symbol comes from the Knights Templar, a mysterious fraternity that goes back as far as the 11th century. According to one legend, after one of the leaders was burned alive, the only pieces that remained were the skull and the femurs. The Templars, who were very established mariners at the time, incorporated this into their flag. This became what we now know as the Jolly Roger. The symbol then disappeared for a while, but was re-appropriated centuries later by pirates. Why not? The symbol was immediately recognizable in this context as death at sea. It can also be found in early Christian and Roman cemeteries. The Romans called the symbol memento mori, which means a reminder of death, and many Christian historians trace the symbol back to Jesus' death with the bones symbolizing the crucifixion and the skull representing Golgotha, the site where Jesus' body was taken after the crucifixion. Golgotha is Greek for place of the skull. With all this history behind it, how did the skull and crossbones become the symbol for poison? Well that's a bit of mystery, too. In the 19th century, with the rise of industry in the US and in the world, also came the rise of regulation. Early laws about labeling for dangerous chemicals go back as far as the 1820s. It's unknown who used the skull and bones first to symbolize poison, but it was an image so laden with mystery and history, it's not surprising that the skull and bones and poison became linked, and today it's the only universally recognized symbol for poison. For more information, take a look at the essay on our website, but if you have any questions about safety signs or warning labels using the skull and crossbones, feel free to give us a call.
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