Roman 'Lost and Found' Graffiti
A scratched message on a Pompeii wall begs: 'I have lost my cloak.'
Unknown — "Intaglio: Imperial Eagle" (c. 1–25 CE), CC0
A Lost Cloak, Written in Plaster
In ancient Pompeii, a graffiti message survives: 'I have lost my cloak; anyone who finds it, bring it back.' The Latin is rushed, the plea universal.
Ancient Anxiety on City Walls
This isn't unique. Archaeologists have found Pompeian graffiti about lost or stolen items—clothes, silver cups, even pets. The city walls served as a crowded, public bulletin board. If your luck ran out, you might as well let everyone know.
Romans used graffiti not just for jokes or insults, but for everyday anxieties. Several Pompeian walls record pleas for help recovering stolen or lost goods—everything from cloaks to silverware. These messages are direct, sometimes desperate, written by people with little hope of official help. Archaeologists have catalogued dozens, painting a picture of a city where even losing your laundry was public news.
