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"Davy Jones cannot make port. Cannot step on land but once every ten years. Land is where you are safe, Jack Sparrow, and so you will carry land with you."
"...Dirt. This is a jar of dirt."
"Yes."
"Is the jar of dirt going to help?"
"If you don't want it, give it back."
"No."
"Then it helps.
"
Tia Dalma and Jack Sparrow[src]

The jar of dirt was a glass jar filled with dirt, given to Captain Jack Sparrow by Tia Dalma as a form of protection against Davy Jones during Sparrow's search for the Dead Man's Chest in an attempt to settle his debt with Jones.

History[]

"Oi, fish-face! Lose something? Eh? Scungilli...Got it! Come to negotiate, eh, have you, you slimy git? Look what I got. *sings* I got a jar of dirt, I got a jar of dirt, and guess what's inside it?"
Jack Sparrow to Davy Jones[src]

The jar of dirt could be seen as a type of sympathetic magic, as it imitated a particular environment, and was common in voodoo practices used by Tia Dalma. She explained that, as Davy Jones was unable to set foot on land but once every decade, Jack would carry land with him at all times. This explanation eased Jack's suspicions, and he became attached to his jar of dirt during his travels—even going so far as to insist that Pintel and Ragetti did not attempt to "touch his dirt" on Isla Cruces.[1]

Jack Holding Up Jar of Dirt

Jack holding up the jar of dirt

After Jack uncovered the Dead Man's Chest, he placed the heart of Davy Jones within his jar of dirt, in order to hide it from his companions. James Norrington, however, discovered the heart, and took it from the jar, leaving nothing but dirt inside. Thus, when Jack confronted Jones and the Flying Dutchman, he erroneously believed he had the advantage over Jones, calling him fishface and a slimy git.[1]

During the subsequent battle, the jar slipped from Jack's grasp, and shattered on the deck of the Black Pearl, revealing the heart was not inside. With his protection gone, Jack suffered death by the Kraken.[1]

Behind the scenes[]

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