Archeologies of Graffiti From Antiquity to the Present

3 units

The modern story of graffiti-revolving around social, economic, and political contexts such as bathroom stalls, subways and alleys steeped with urine and trash, decrepit buildings and train cars situated in less reputable areas of cities and towns-leads people to associate it with antisocial behaviors, dissent, and the vandalism of public and private property. However, some people consider graffiti as a legitimate form of art, communication, and a somewhat anonymous expression of current social climates. The disparity between these two perspectives has provided a great deal to study for social scientists. However, a consideration of graffiti's simple definition-words or drawings etched or painted on some surface in a public place-leads us to recognize that feats of graffiti originate way before the inner-city movements of the 1970s. In this class we will draw upon a range of studies from archaeology, anthropology, sociology, art, and history to broadly explore the creation and meaning of graffiti from antiquity to the present. Our goal is to learn how to examine the form, function, and context of graffiti across cultures and through time, with regard to the circumstances of its creation. In doing so, we aspire to better understand what lies behind the human urge to leave a mark. PREREQUISTE: Introduction to Archaeology.