If you had to name your favorite bone, which would
it be? (Perverts, keep your response to yourself.) I’m betting most of you would
name the skull. Let’s face it, when we think of bones, the skull naturally
comes to mind (despite the fact that it's actually twenty-plus bones). There’s not much regard for the limb bones, although I’m
personally enamored of the femur. The patella gets little attention, probably
because of its close resemblance to horse dung. And you hardly even notice your
little coccyx, unless you happen to fall on your butt (who knew such pain
could arise from such a tiny clump of bones?).
The skull is iconic. Not only for signifying the
skeleton in general, but as a symbol that has infiltrated our culture. So I
thought it would be fun to explore how our skulls crop up in everyday life and
the quirky history of this popular emblem.
Most of you will naturally associate the skull
with its close cousin, the Jolly Roger. This emblematic flag sports a skull
hovering above two generic bones (what the hell are they, anyway?) and is meant
to instill fear in the hearts of those who cross paths with a pirate. And what
fate awaits their victims? A little thievery, a bit of rape, and a likely stroll
down the plank.
But hey, everyone loves a pirate.
But hey, everyone loves a pirate.
In reality, many a pirate ship sported a plain black
flag, but the Jolly Roger has become the mainstay in pirate ship symbolism,
which is understandable - it’s a whole lot more interesting than your basic
black and there’s something extra creepy about the blank stare of a skull. Plus, it pays to have a catchy calling card when establishing your reputation as a
first-class pillager.
The skull and crossbones has also served as
warning for many a poison. Just seeing that symbol on a bottle evokes fear in
the hearts of consumers. Be it rat poison, arsenic, or some backwoods, toxic
moonshine, slapping a skull on the label is a surefire means of warning the
thirsty.
Skulls were also used to mark the entrance to
ancient cemeteries. In the days of Yore, when literacy was in short supply, the
skull was a handy means of saying, “Enter at your own risk,” for many a
goblin was known to hang out in cemeteries. The skull served as a ghoulish
reminder of the inherent dangers of the dead.
But the cultural fascination with our skeletons is
not limited to our skulls. Bones have worked their way into our language,
cropping up in sayings, slang, and nursery rhymes. Bone idioms (from the Latin,
idioma, meaning a special phrase or
expression) are widespread in English. And as someone who specializes in the human skeleton,
these sayings give me great joy. So I thought I’d share a few with you.
Got an argument to make? Then you have a "bone to
pick." Still disagree? It becomes a "bone of
contention." You can be "cut to the bone," "chilled to the bone," "feel it in your bones," or "work your fingers to the bone." You can possess a "funny bone," a "jealous bone," a "crazy bone," or be a "bag of bones." Someone can "break your bones," "throw you a bone," or (if you’re lucky!) "jump your bones." And speaking of sex, we can’t leave out that most common of usages, the ultimate: "boner."
contention." You can be "cut to the bone," "chilled to the bone," "feel it in your bones," or "work your fingers to the bone." You can possess a "funny bone," a "jealous bone," a "crazy bone," or be a "bag of bones." Someone can "break your bones," "throw you a bone," or (if you’re lucky!) "jump your bones." And speaking of sex, we can’t leave out that most common of usages, the ultimate: "boner."
