Graffiti

History of Graffiti

The term graffiti ' is derived from Greek word graphein meaning to write was originally used to characterize the words and names scribbled on the walls of ancient Roman architecture (Kincheloe and Hayes , 98 This singular term graffito however , is derived from the Italian graffiare which means little scratching ' Vern Bullough and Bonnie Bullough asserts , it may be applied to at least three types of inscriptions : public , private , and personal (251 . Public graffiti include names , initials , cryptic symbols , and the like , which were usually drawn on walls or fences

, trees and so on , as markers for gang terrorists , or as symbol of personal pride and courage or simply as reminder of someone 's presence . Private graffiti on the other hand , are inscriptions in more secluded locations such as restroom walls and toilet stalls and were usually of intentionally anonymous authorship while personal graffiti are tattoos and scar that are intended to beautify to disfigure , to indicate status , or to adorn the human body (Bullough and Bullough , 251

There seems to have not enough information as to when graffiti started or who were the first individual or people to have started it . Bullough and Bullough cited that recent archeological efforts on the coast of France revealed cavers submerged beneath the encroaching seas for tens of thousands of years , with their walls filled with arcane products of Paleolithic graffitists (252 . But as Pereira pointed out , the study of graffiti throughout history shows that , from the Neolithic period onwards , nomads left...