Historic Graffiti as a Visual Medium for the Sustainable Development of the Underground Built Heritage

Abstract

Since prehistoric times, graffiti has been a way for humans to express themselves and interact with the landscape in a visual way. Graffiti is a visual record of the relationship between society, culture, and the environment over time, representing an additional layer of sociocultural value to the underground built heritage (UBH). Thanks to the application of digital technologies and a specific workflow, this paper will suggest how graffiti can be regarded as an additional and relevant element of creating connections and strengthening the site’s values, bridging the past and present communities. Through the critical discussion of two case studies—the monastery of Ayia Napa (Cyprus) and the Saint Helena chapel in the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem—the authors want to achieve two main goals: first, they want to highlight the sociocultural value and raise awareness about the presence and significance of historic graffiti. In the second instance, they wish to illustrate how graffiti can be an additional agent for the sustainable development, valorization, and promotion of the UBH.