Blackbeard

Blackbeard

Blackbeard's facial hair wasn't the only thing the infamous pirate liked big.

Archaeologists on Friday recovered one of three giant anchors believed to be used by the 18th-century high seas bandit on his ship, Queen Anne's Revenge.

The 11-foot, 4-inch long anchor was pulled from the Atlantic Ocean off the coast ofNorth Carolina.

Scientists hoped to raise the ship's other two anchors, but they are stuck to the sunken ship.

"This is a very important piece that is on top of the wreck," Mark Wilde-Ramsing, the project manager for the recovery, told theWilmington Star-News. "When we remove this it will allow us to see more of what's below it."

The Queen Anne's Revenge was first discovered underwater in 1996. Historians believe the ship was originally a French slave vessel before Blackbeard captured it.

Five months after the ship sank, Blackbeard's pirating days were ended when he was killed in 1718 by the Royal Navy in Ocracoke Inlet.

Blackbeard's killers adorned the bow of their ship with his severed head, according to awebsite devoted to the archaeological project.

The recovery of the anchor comes a week after the third installation of the wildly popular"Pirates of the Caribbean"movies hit theaters. Blackbeard and his famous ship are both featured in the film.