Pirates are back in the news this week due to a standoff between Somali pirates and the US Navy over a hostage.

Even though pirates are a big part of pop culture, thanks to the huge success of “Pirates of the Caribbean” and the beloved Captain Jack played by Johnny Depp, it is pretty difficult to visualize real pirates still existing in 2009.

The earliest mentions of piracy go back to the 13th century BC in the Mediterranean Sea.

In order to feed your curiosity about all things pirates, we have collected this cluster of pirate-related features. Enjoy!