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Fading painted signs with Sam Roberts

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Ancient

64,000-Year-Old Neanderthal Cave Paintings

Continuing the occassional exploration of ‘ancient’ signs, I was thrilled to hear of this evidence that Neanderthals were busy painting the walls of caves across … Read more

Categories Sign Preservation, Signs in Media, Signs of Note

Early Graphic Communications in Cave Paintings

Thanks to Derek for alerting me to this video which explores some of the earliest known forms of graphic communications and symbolism, building on previous … Read more

Categories Signs in Media, Signs of Note
Painting on walls in Pompeii & Herculaneum

Signs & Frescoes in Pompeii & Herculaneum

When I give talks on the history of signs painted on walls I often refer to their ancient history, going back at least as far … Read more

Categories Sign Collections, Sign Destinations, Sign Preservation, Signs of Note

Ancient Indonesian Cave Paintings

Here is the latest discovery relating to the ancient history of paint on walls around the world. This time the image above and others depicting … Read more

Categories Signs of Note
Before and after of angel on a fresco that was restored following vandalism

Vandalised frescoes with a twist in Valencia’s cathedral

This before and after of a fresco in Valencia cathedral shows that smutty humour will never grow old – the drawing on the angel’s wing … Read more

Categories Signs of Note
Horse heads cave painting from the Chauvet cave Ardèche

The origins of painting on walls

I’ve become increasingly intrigued by the origins of painting on walls, and the evolution of the form over time, up to the current vogue for … Read more

Categories Sign Making, Signs in Media
Mayan mural from Guatemala

Astronomical charts and calculations on 9th Century Mayan wall paintings

This article discusses the recent discovery of these wall paintings in Guatemala dating from AD814.  More images in this guided tour of the site.  See … Read more

Categories Sign Preservation, Signs of Note

April and the fascinating world of fresco

A headline that started “Where there’s a wall” led me to this page (fittingly for today’s date the image is called ‘April’) and subsequently to … Read more

Categories Sign Making, Signs in Media
Herculaneum Vinters Ghostsign by Will Collin

Ancient Ghostsigns

Vote Titus (Pompeii) Are these the oldest ghostsigns in the world? Will at Naked came back from a trip to Italy where he visited the … Read more

Categories Sign Destinations, Sign Preservation, Signs of Note

Welcome

Hi, I'm Sam. I hope you enjoy learning about fading painted signs on this site. Please get in touch (sam@ghostsigns.co.uk) with discoveries and questions.

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Blog Topics

  • Signs of Note
  • Sign Stories
  • Sign Collections
  • Sign Initiatives
  • Sign Preservation
  • Sign Destinations
  • Sign Folk
  • Sign Making
  • Signs in Media
  • Inspired by Signs

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