In Pompeii, ancient graffiti depicting daily life is being revealed thanks to modern technology

May 3, 2026 - 06:55

The walls of a corridor that once linked two theatres in the ancient Roman city of Pompeii hold hundreds of inscriptions made by residents before Mount Vesuvius erupted almost 2,000 years ago. An international team of researchers is now using advanced imaging techniques to uncover these faded messages, offering a rare glimpse into the everyday thoughts and routines of people living in the shadow of the volcano.

Unlike the formal inscriptions found on public monuments, these graffiti are informal and personal. They include love notes, political slogans, jokes, and even shopping lists. One reads, "I love you, and you don't care." Another simply says, "Satura was here." The marks were scratched into plaster with a stylus or a piece of charcoal, and many have become nearly invisible over time due to exposure to the elements and the wear of centuries.

The new technology, known as multispectral imaging, uses different wavelengths of light to reveal writing that the naked eye cannot see. By photographing the walls under various lighting conditions, researchers can digitally enhance the contrast and bring out the original strokes. The method has already uncovered dozens of new inscriptions in the corridor, which was a busy passageway for theatregoers.

These findings are important because they capture the voices of ordinary Romans, not just the elite. They show that people in Pompeii worried about love, argued about politics, and left their mark on the walls just as people do today. The project continues, with experts hoping to decipher even more of the ancient scrawls before time and weather erase them for good.