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Totenkopf (German: [ˈtoːtn̩ˌkɔpf], i.e. skull, literally "dead person's head") is the German word for skull. The word is often used to denote a figurative, graphic or sculptural symbol, common in Western culture, consisting of the representation of a human skull – usually frontal, more rarely in profile with or without the mandible .
A skull and crossbones is a symbol consisting of a human skull and two long bones crossed together under or behind the skull. [1] The design originated in the Late Middle Ages as a symbol of death and especially as a memento mori on tombstones. Actual skulls and bones were long used to mark the entrances to Spanish cemeteries (campo santo).
The symbol, or some variation thereof, specifically with the bones (or swords) below the skull, was also featured on the Jolly Roger, the traditional flag of European and American seagoing pirates. It is also part of the Canadian WHMIS home symbols placed on containers to warn that the contents are poisonous.
The Jolly Roger is the name given to any of various flags flown to identify a ship's crew as pirates. Since the decline of piracy, various military units have used the Jolly Roger, usually in skull-and-crossbones design, as a unit identification insignia or a victory flag to ascribe to themselves the proverbial ferocity and toughness of pirates.
The skull and crossbones is a symbol of a human skull with two long bones crossed below it. It was historically used on the Jolly Roger pirate flag, and sees modern-day usage as a warning against poison or other deadly hazards. Skull and crossbones may also refer to: Skull and crossbones (military), in variations used by several military forces
English: The skull and crossbones sign is a well-known symbol for poison. Español: Una calavera sobre dos huesos en cruz, es un símbolo bien conocido que indica veneno. Un símbolo similar, generalmente en blanco sobre fondo negro, también ha sido usado como bandera pirata .
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At Gallipoli, Italy, cross over skull and crossbones in the church Oratorio Confraternale delle Anime del Purgatorio (1660). Actual skulls and bones were long used to mark the entrances to Spanish cemeteries (campo santo). The practice, dating back many centuries, led to the symbol eventually becoming associated with the concept of death.