Discover Malta's
maritime history
etched in stone
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Although many examples of ship graffiti have already been documented throughout the Maltese Islands, it is a probability that a number of graffiti still remain undiscovered. Help us build our database and make your discovery known!
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Graffiti can sometimes be very hard to see depending on the light conditions. You could return to a site later in the day and see a completely different set of ships, or perhaps none at all. The easiest way to avoid this is to stand about a metre away from a wall and take pictures/sketch of a graffito. Some lines may be more easily visible with a small torch held at a 45 degree angle to the graffito.
When recording graffiti:
- Take multiple photos from different angles
- Use a light source such as a camera flash or a torch at a 45° angle
- Take a photo using a ruler for scale
- Draw a sketch of the graffiti using paper and pencil
- Measure the dimensions of the graffiti
- Record the graffiti's location in relation to the wall or building
- Note down any special features of the graffiti
- Do take photos in raw format
When recording graffiti:
- Do not add any graffiti of your own
- Do not make any changes to the existing graffiti
- Do not enhance the graffiti in any way
- Do not touch the graffiti
- Do not sketch the graffiti by tracing them or by using any direct contact
- Do not enter private or restricted areas without permission from the proprietor
- Do not take rubbings of graffiti as sketches
- Do not expose covered graffiti