Historical Graffiti

Connected Sites: 59

Pre-20th century inscriptions, figure drawings, etc. that have been scratched into walls and which can be identified and seen today.

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Connected Sites

Pyramids (Memphis)
Inscribed: 1979
4.50
419
12
Great Pyramid: By The Labourers Who Constructed The Pyramids, By Visiting Romans
See Anthropology.Msu.Edu
Pompei
Pompei
Italy
Inscribed: 1997
4.38
596
8
Over 11,000 Graffiti Samples Have Been Uncovered In The Excavations Of Pompeii, Which "Often Offer Rich Insight Into The Lives Of The City’S Residents".
See En.Wikipedia.Org
Rome
Rome
Holy See, Italy
Inscribed: 1980
4.57
928
13
Catacombs: Renaissance-Era Graffiti And Early Christian Funeral Graffiti
See Www.Forbes.Com
Tikal National Park
Inscribed: 1979
4.46
220
6
By Mayan Occupants And 19th Century Explorers
See Www.Penn.Museum
Istanbul
Istanbul
Turkiye
Inscribed: 1985
4.38
665
12
Runic Inscriptions In Hagia Sophia, Made By Members Of The Varangian Guard In Constantinople In The Viking Age.
See En.Wikipedia.Org
Nubian Monuments
Inscribed: 1979
4.22
272
12
"Graffiti Inscribed On The Southern Pair By Greek Mercenaries Serving Egypt In The 6th Century Bce Have Provided Important Evidence Of The Early History Of The Greek Alphabet". Also Victorian Graffiti.
Villa Adriana (Tivoli)
Inscribed: 1999
3.39
296
8
By 18th Century Visitors, Such As "The Legendary Architect/Etcher Piranesi Scribbled Piranesi 1741 Into A Grotto At Hadrian's Villa With A Red Crayon"
Brú na Bóinne
Inscribed: 1993
3.62
258
11
"There Is Evidence To Show That Newgrange Was Plundered By Danish Raiders About The Year 860. Graffiti In The Tomb Dates Back To The 7th Century, A Subject Of Great Interest To Historians." At Knowth As Well. Also: Newgrange Was Re-Discovered In 1699, Visitors Scratched Their Names.
Neolithic Orkney
Neolithic Orkney
United Kingdom
Inscribed: 1999
3.80
140
11
Maes Howe: "The 30 Inscriptions Found In Maeshowe, Make It One Of The Largest, And Most Famous, Collections Of Runes Known In Europe"
See Www.Orkneyjar.Com
Yuso and Suso Monasteries
Inscribed: 1997
2.95
143
5
Suso: "The Walls Of The Atrium Are Covered With Graffiti Written By Pilgrims And Monks In The 11th And 12th Centuries".
See Irishpilgrimonthecaminodesantiago.Blogspot.Com
Prague
Prague
Czechia
Inscribed: 1992
4.27
789
16
Ball Game Hall, Old Town Town Hall
Megalithic Temples of Malta
Inscribed: 1980
3.57
396
12
Model Of A Temple Scratched On A Wall In The Temple Of Hagar Qim
See Www.Academia.Edu
Ha Long Bay – Cat Ba Archipelago
Inscribed: 1994
3.89
341
17
French 19th Century Graffiti In Hang Dau Go
Mantua and Sabbioneta
Inscribed: 2008
3.21
234
7
At Pallazo Té, In The Sala Dei Giganti, Graffiti From Visitors (And Imperial Troops Who Used The Palace As Barracks) As Early As The 17th Century Can Be Seen
Australian Convict Sites
Inscribed: 2010
2.66
232
13
Great North Road - Graffiti From 1830s. "35 Pieces, Including Many Initials, Arrow, Ship, The Word Mad Dog Followed By 'Spell It Backwards'"
See Books.Google.Nl
Persepolis
Inscribed: 1979
4.37
131
3
Over The Years, Many Travelers Left Their Mark On The Ruins In The Form Of Graffiti, Including ... Henry Morton Stanley. The Foreign Graffiti Are Concentrated In Two Particular Spots, Namely Xerxes’ Gate Of All Nations And The Palace Of Darius.
See Www.Iranicaonline.Org
Timgad
Timgad
Algeria
Inscribed: 1982
3.37
42
4
A Latin Inscription, With A Typographical Error, Chiseled Into The Stone Steps Surrounding The Forum Square Reads: “To Hunt, Bathe, Play [Games Or Gambling?], To Laugh. That Is Life!".
Pont du Gard
Inscribed: 1985
3.69
393
12
19th Century Graffiti (F.E. Some Jean In 1830) Is Scratched Into The Main Aquaduct At The Level Of The Footbridge
Loire Valley
Inscribed: 2000
4.07
374
10
At Chambord: Names And Dates, Boats. Includes Inscriptions Made By The Poet Jean De La Fontaine (1621-1695) And The Writer Victor Hugo (1802-1885).
See Www.Flickr.Com
Meroe
Meroe
Sudan
Inscribed: 2011
4.04
38
4
Great Enclosure At Musawwarat Es-Sufra: Visitors Have Left Their Mark, Including The French Adventurer Frederic Cailliaud In 1821 (Sudan Bradt Guide). As Well From The Meroitc Period And The Younger Post-Meroitic, Christian And Islamic Periods
See Musawwaratgraffiti.Mpiwg-Berlin.Mpg.De
Necropolis of Bet She'arim
Inscribed: 2015
2.86
78
4
Incised And Painted Inscriptions In Hebrew, Aramaic, Palmyrene, And Greek: "Geographical References In Inscriptions On The Walls Of The Catacombs Reveal That The Necropolis Was Used By People From The Town Of Beit She'arim, From Elsewhere In Galilee, And Even From Cities As Far Away As Palmyra And Tyre." (Wiki)
Florence
Inscribed: 1982
4.46
801
15
Michelangelo’S Graffiti: Face Of A Man, Claimed To Be Created By The Sculptor Michelangelo,
See Www.Atlasobscura.Com
Frontiers of the Roman Empire
Frontiers of the Roman Empire
Germany, United Kingdom
Inscribed: 1987
2.82
448
19
Hadrian's Wall, Written Rock Of Gelt: Roman Quarry Inscriptions
See Www.Bbc.Com
Ephesus
Ephesus
Turkiye
Inscribed: 2015
4.13
343
6
Ancient Roman Inscription, Presumably Directions To A Nearby Brothel
See Archaicwonder.Tumblr.Com
Ancient Thebes
Inscribed: 1979
4.39
341
11
The Tomb Of Ramesses Vi In The Egyptian Valley Of The Kings Contains Inscriptions From Visitors Up To 2,000 Years Ago, Including A Text Saying "I Can Not Read The Hieroglyphs!"
See Scienceinpoland.Pap.Pl
Palmyra
Palmyra
Syria
Inscribed: 1980
3.98
85
3
Graffiti In Arabic, Including The Phrase “This Is An Inscription That I Wrote With My Own Hand. My Hand Will Wear Out But The Inscription Will Remain.”
See Iqsaweb.Wordpress.Com
Tower of London
Tower of London
United Kingdom
Inscribed: 1988
3.39
904
20
Graffiti By Prisoners
See Www.Royalmintmuseum.Org.Uk
Sigiriya
Sigiriya
Sri Lanka
Inscribed: 1982
3.70
230
8
Ancient Tourists Visiting The 5th-Century Citadel At Sigiriya In Sri Lanka Scribbled Over 1800 Individual Graffiti There Between The 6th And 18th Centuries. Etched On The Surface Of The Mirror Wall, They Contain Pieces Of Prose, Poetry, And Commentary. (Wiki)
See En.Wikipedia.Org
Old City of Jerusalem
Inscribed: 1981
4.37
369
12
Crusader Graffiti In The Church Of The Holy Sepulchre
Baalbek
Baalbek
Lebanon
Inscribed: 1984
3.99
129
5
Temple Of Bacchus At Baalbek, Tourists And Local Visitors — Left In Both Arabic And Latin Script
See Hyperallergic.Com
City of Luxembourg
Inscribed: 1994
3.18
582
12
At The Casemates
See Commons.Wikimedia.Org
Westminster
Westminster
United Kingdom
Inscribed: 1987
3.61
904
15
Coronation Chair In Westminster Abbey: "Most Of The Graffiti On The Back Part Of The Chair Is The Result Of Westminster Schoolboys And Visitors Carving Their Names In The 18th And 19th Centuries. One Of The Tourists Carved "P. Abbott Slept In This Chair 5-6 July 1800" On The Seat."
See Www.Westminster-Abbey.Org
Edinburgh
Edinburgh
United Kingdom
Inscribed: 1995
4.00
652
17
Edinburgh Castle, By 18th Century Prisoners Of War
See Blog.Edinburghcastle.Scot
Gebel Barkal
Inscribed: 2003
3.13
34
4
William Arnold Bromfield, Letters From Egypt, London 1856, P. 122 (Gebel Berkel): "We Found Very Few Memorials Of European Travellers Upon These Pyramids, So We Held Ourselves Excused In Gratifying The National Predilection For This Way Of Acquiring Immortality, By Carving Our Names Enclosed In An Oval Or Cartouche, And Each Name Again Separately On Different Pyramids. Mine. I Cut At Full Length, And In Large Roman Letters, With Month And Year, Inside One Of The Porches, The Roof Of Which Was Badly Painted With Lotus Wreaths, Just Over The Name Of Prince Puckler Muskau, Who Has Left No Memorial Of The Date Of His Visit."
See Www.Egypt-Sudan-Graffiti.Be
Aphrodisias
Inscribed: 2017
3.65
122
4
"Graffiti Were Primarily Made By Artists And Workers Who Visited The Theater, The Stadium, And The Markets With Their Implements"
See Www.Ias.Edu
Wartburg Castle
Inscribed: 1999
3.15
253
11
Graffiti From The Middle Ages On A Door In Wartburg Castle. Also Graffiti (A Signature In Cyrillic) Left By Peter The Great In The Room Where Luther Translated The Bible.
See Www.Nytimes.Com
Olympia
Olympia
Greece
Inscribed: 1989
3.63
275
8
At The Tunnel Walls Before Entering The Track, Made By Athletes
See Books.Google.Nl
Acropolis
Inscribed: 1987
4.26
668
14
Parthenon: Early Christian Graffiti
See Www.Archaeology.Wiki
Venice and its Lagoon
Inscribed: 1987
4.51
828
18
Piraeus Lion, One Of Four Lion Statues On Display At The Venetian Arsenal, With Two Lengthy Runic Inscriptions Into Its Shoulders And Flanks: "At Some Point In The 11th Century Travelling Vikings Had Carved The Runes As A Form Of Graffiti"
See Www.Historytoday.Com
Maulbronn Monastery
Inscribed: 1993
3.13
241
11
Graffiti Carved Into The Stone From Seminary Students Over The Past Centuries
See Www.Norbertwoehnl.Com
Naumburg Cathedral
Inscribed: 2018
2.81
174
6
From The 17th Century
See Www.Ipernity.Com
Strasbourg
Inscribed: 1988
3.51
503
10
Strasbourg Cathedral's Antique Graffiti
See Www.Atlasobscura.Com
Caves of Maresha and Bet Guvrin
Inscribed: 2014
3.25
76
9
Beth Guvrin - Ships Graffiti In Maresha
See Www.Academia.Edu
Vézère Valley
Inscribed: 1979
3.54
145
12
At The Font De Gaume Cave, Some Prehistoric Paintings Are Covered With Carvings From Early Visitors
Provins
Provins
France
Inscribed: 2001
2.89
227
12
Underground Galleries
See Travelguide.Michelin.Com
Palenque
Palenque
Mexico
Inscribed: 1987
4.10
192
7
Some Go Back To The Early 19th Century
See Artsandculture.Google.Com
Quirigua
Quirigua
Guatemala
Inscribed: 1981
3.22
72
7
Stele A Has Dates (Among Them 1881) And Names
See Artsandculture.Google.Com
Amphitheater of El Jem
Inscribed: 1979
3.47
195
9
Its Walls Are Full Of Graffiti, Most Fairly Recent But Also From The 19th Century Such As "Laporie 1896" And "P. Leschi 1885".
See Www.Flickr.Com
Mammoth Cave
Mammoth Cave
United States of America
Inscribed: 1981
3.25
165
5
Civil War-Era Signatures
See Www.Npca.Org
San Antonio Missions
San Antonio Missions
United States of America
Inscribed: 2015
2.97
223
7
In The Alamo (From The 19th Century)
Stonehenge
Stonehenge
United Kingdom
Inscribed: 1986
3.75
589
18
From As Early As The 16th Century (See Link).
See Www.Stonehenge-Tours.Com
Assisi
Assisi
Italy
Inscribed: 2000
3.75
327
8
"From The Crypt Of The Original Cathedral Of Santa Maria Maggiore You Descend To An Underground Environment That Corresponds To A Roman House Dating Back To The First Century. Ad. (...) On The Walls Are Engraved Numerous Graffiti With Poetic Verses, One Of Which Names A Musae Domus; Hence The Attribution To The Muse Of Poetry And The House Belonging To The Poet Properzio. But The Lack Of Archaeological And Historical Evidence Is Inadequate With The Certainty To Endorse This Hypothesis."
See Www.Visit-Assisi.It
Al-Faw
Al-Faw
Saudi Arabia
Inscribed: 2024
1.29
4
3
"(...) The Ninety-Eight Recorded Rock Inscriptions Carry Ancient South Arabian Inscriptions, Thamudic Graffiti, And Arabic Inscriptions." (Ab Ev)
Longobards in Italy
Inscribed: 2011
2.82
260
14
Monte Sant'angelo: In The "Crypts A, B And C, A Vast Number Of Objects, Fragments And Frescoes Were Discovered, But Most Important Were The Wall Writings And Graffiti, Dating Back To The Time When These Places Were In Use." "Evidence For The Presence Of Pilgrims Visiting The Sanctuary Between The End Of The Sixth And The Mid-Ninth Century Is Provided Through Roughly Two Hundred Inscriptions, Carvings And Scratched Sketches Executed On The Surfaces Inside The Cave." (Nomination File, P. 217, 220)
Verona
Verona
Italy
Inscribed: 2000
3.61
488
12
At Basilica Di San Zeno
See Www.Ikonographia.Com
Dilmun Burial Mounds
Inscribed: 2019
2.11
82
6
Royal Mound 11: Visitors Have Left Several Graffiti Inside The Burial Chamber, Some Dating Back To More Than 100 Years. These Graffiti Became A Layer Of The Mound´S History." (Nomination File, P. 117)
Elephanta Caves
Inscribed: 1987
3.05
145
7
Across The Breast Of The Shiva As Mahayogi (Cave 1) Is Written W. Kidson 1802
See Www.Flickr.Com
Champagne
Inscribed: 2015
3.18
268
9
In The Moët & Chandon Cellars, One Can See Many Graffiti (Characters, Drawings, Names, Dates, Quotes, Etc.) Left By Wine Cellar Workers. (Nomination File, P. 151) Other Cellars Also Have Graffiti, E.G. Veuve Clicquot, Maison Taittinger, Maison Charles Heidsieck (Nomination File, Tome Iii, P. 58, 61, 64)
Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France
Inscribed: 1998
2.82
377
14
The Hospital Of Pons Is Known For Its Romanesque Porch That Spans The Road. On Each Side, The Walls Are Decorated With Low Arcades, In Front Of Which Are Placed Stone Benches That Allowed Pilgrims To Rest In Shelter. This Remark Explains The Presence On The Facing Of Very Numerous Graffiti: Horseshoes, Crosses, Coats Of Arms. Graffiti Can Also Be Found In Other Places, Such As The Dormitory For The Pilgrims Or The Sick. (Nomination File)
See Commons.Wikimedia.Org