. . . Here, I found a picture of the Capn' Crunch chest. This is the shape I think of when I think of a treasure chest . . .

- that got me thinking: why would a pirate go to all the trouble to make that recurved lid? I found this link which has lots of images of sea chests -

http://www.google.ca/search?q=pirate+chest+shape&rlz=1R2RNSN_enCA411&biw=1018&bih=673&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=dBrcUZmNIsHAqwGnh4HACA&ved=0CCoQsAQ

- and the interesting thing is, every chest that has the recurved lid is clearly identified with pirates, usually in a manner that would appeal to a child. All the other ones have a simple round top, which makes sense from a strength perspective, or in a very few cases a flat top whith makes sense for stacking. I can see how the "pirate chest" shape would stack in an interlocking manner, but it would call for them to be standardized to fit together. Chests like that come from an era notorious for individuality that had not yet discovered the value of standardized sizes and parts.

So why would pirates go to the bother? They were hardly the kind of folk that believed in the value of work for its own sake, and certainly not the type that would form a committee to agree on a standard design for all pirate chests.

My theory is, some artist came up with it in a picture designed for a children's book and the idea stuck, and there has never, ever been a real pirate chest precisely that shape . . .

- so Malcolm, you've obviously been reading too many kids books! Aargh!