Graffiti, interestingly, seems to be universal-a human absolute, like marriage, found in all societies throughout all time. By its most basic definition, graffiti is writing upon a wall. Historians have made the phenomenon very inclusive, classifying such things as prehistoric cave drawings and Roman frescos as graffiti.

Thus graffiti began with cavemen painting on the walls of their communal dwellings. From that point on, it has appeared on virtually everything else. This includes ancient roads, tombs, catacombs, temples, the Pyramids, Roman whorehouses, Medieval cathedrals, Venetian prisons, German castle battlements, New York subways, and everywhere in between.

The common presence of graffiti in cathedrals is very indicative of its perception in past times. European pilgrims were expected to carve or otherwise mark their prayers to God or the Saints on the walls of the cathedrals to which they traveled. This practice was not discouraged, and many cathedrals now continue to hang surfaces on which persons may write their prayers.

Ancient graffiti is tremendously important in historical studies. It indicates ancient dialects, compositional techniques, and the day-to-day musings of anyone and everyone. Hence, such writings are the voices of the people, passed down unaltered through the ages.