Kids will be kids: Ancient Grafffiti

 

KIDS WILL BE KIDS: ANCIENT GRAFFITI

               Walk down any city street and you are bound to find some sort of graffiti displayed on its buildings, highways, or vacant spaces. At first thought one might think, "Ugh, don't these kids have better things to do than to deface other people's property?" or "Can't they keep their opinions and beliefs to themselves?" or " Now what statement are they trying to make now?"  But believe me, we are not the only civilization who have had people running amuck defacing property. 

             Any ordinary person might think graffiti had started in the 80's or 90's or even during WWII with "Kilroy was here".  Its origins go way back to the ancient times.  Now, I am not talking about the cave paintings in Lascaux where pictures of bison and people with spears running after their dinner. I am referring to the scribblings on the ancient Egyptians temple walls. Yep, they had problems with graffiti with little bratty pharaohs' kids running around with a stone carving tool making political and vulgar statements. 

            In the figure, on the upper left hand side, we see markings on an Egyptian male. These marks on his middle and trunk area seem displaced and random. I doubt those early artists would scratch up their work in such a manner.  Can you just see  it now? The pharaohs family is taking an afternoon hand carriage ride and stop at the temple to get out to stretch their legs. "Whoa! Honey! Have you been letting Rameses junior in the shed again? Get over here you little River Nile Rat!"

                 The figure on the right hand side shows an explicit image of a woman being bent over during the act of sex.  I bet that didn't sit too well with her, unless she was some type of Egyptian madame. Who knows? But this makes me think of the bathroom etchings of  "For a good time call Jenny".

        I guess it goes to show you no matter how advance we are as a civilization, we still find satire and sex a pretty funny thing.