“Petrified Voices, Petrified Feelings: Understanding Graffiti in the City of Aphrodite”
Lecture by Angelos Chaniotis on the graffiti of Aphrodisias, modern day Turkey. In the city of Aphrodisias thousands of graffiti have been preserved, both texts and images engraved on the walls of public buildings and on the seats of the theatre and the town-hall. Most of the graffiti seem to date to Late Antiquity (4th-7th cent. AD). In most cases, the interpretation of graffiti and the reconstruction of the context in which they were made are impossible, but the study of larger groups allow insights into important aspects of every-day life: political and religious conflicts; personal affections; entertainment; the organisation of public space. This lecture presents a selection of such graffiti, discusses the problems of their interpretation, and explains their value for a better understanding of life in an ancient city.
Entrance is free but bookings are essential. To book, enter the website attached.