inscription

This stone shows the endless appeal of graffiti, from the lewd remarks etched into the walls of Pompeii to Banksy today. Graffiti is extremely useful for archaeologists as it helps to gauge the literacy, language, and lifestyles of past civilisations. This can also make subsequently discovered graffiti easier to date.

This particular stone dates from the 12th century and bears a Norman French inscription. The inscription was almost certainly made with a tool constructed from herringbone. It was written, and signed, by a man named Bartholomew - you can clearly see 'BARTHS' on the top line. The translation of his message paints a clear picture of a man otherwise lost to time. 'Bartholomew / Truly wrongfully / and without reason / I am shut in this / prison'.