Graffiti, Ancient and Modern

Abstract

This book examines graffiti associated with Jews from the ancient world. These markings—found on sites such as the shores of the Black Sea, the deserts of Egypt and Arabia, and the eastern stretches of Mesopotamia—shed important insights about Judaism and Jewish life in antiquity. The book includes case studies from multiple regions to explore connections between graffiti writing and the devotional, commemorative, and civic activities conducted by Jews and their peers. This introduction considers different definitions of graffiti by analyzing various presumptions about textual and pictorial production that have accrued over the centuries. It also explains how particular modes of reading can generate distinct insights about associated cultures and social dynamics, whether in modernity or antiquity, by focusing on one genre of modern graffiti, known as tags. Finally, it discusses the agency of graffiti, social (and spatial) dimensions of graffiti, and the impact of graffiti on landscapes.