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Archaeology

The Archaeology of Graffiti

Course Times & Enrolment

This course is currently unavailable.

Course Summary

This course provides an introduction to the archaeological study of graffiti. The day will provide an interactive overview of a range of public and private markings, dating from prehistory to the present day.

Please note, this course includes a field trip (a guided walk around Edinburgh).

Course Details

Special Information

To be provided by COL:

  • MTN Workshop Pack                                               

  • MTN 300ml cans              

  • Grog Squeezer

  • Grog Squeezer Mini

  • Grog Metal Heads 

  • Paper/card

 To be provided by student :

  • Notebook

  • Pencil

  • Marker pens/pens

Content of Course

10:00 Introductions. What is archaeology? History of archaeology. Methods and theories. Applications.

11:00 Graffiti under the archaeological ‘gaze’.

12:00 Practice: What makes graffiti?

13:00 Lunch break.

14:00 Sketch book. Develop a tag. Tag a board. Develop your tag into a throwie

15:30 “Walkshop”. Walk to visit a range of sites of historic and contemporary graffiti.

16:00 End.

Teaching method(s)

Small seminar-style teaching, practical activity, field walk.

Learning outcomes

On completion of this course, the student will be able to:

  • Identify graffiti from a range of historical periods;

  • Investigate the methods used to create markings;

  • Using archaeological terminology, construct arguments relating to the meanings of the markings.

 

Sources

Core Readings

No prior reading is necessary, but students may find the following resources of interest:

  • Cresswell, T., 1992. The crucial ‘where’ of graffiti: a geographical analysis of reactions to graffiti in New York. Society and Space, 10, pp. 329-244.

  • Frederick, U., 2009. Revolution is the New Black: Graffiti/Art and Mark-making Practices.  Archaeologies 5(2), pp.210-237.

  • Giles, K. and Giles, M., 2010. Signs of the Times: Nineteenth - Twentieth Century Graffiti in the Farms of the Yorkshire Wolds. In:  J. Oliver and T. Neal, eds. 2010. Wild Signs: Graffiti in Archaeology and History. Studies in Contemporary and Historical Archaeology 6 (BAR S2074). pp. 47-59.

Web Sources

http://grafarc.org

Queries

If you have questions regarding the course or enrolment, please contact COL Reception at Paterson's Land by email or by phone 0131 650 4400.

Student support

If you have a disability, learning difficulty or health condition which may affect your studies, please let us know by ticking the 'specific support needs' box on your course application form. This will allow us to make appropriate adjustments in advance and in accordance with your rights under the Equality Act 2010. For more information please visit the Student Support section of our website.