Historic Graffiti & Heritage Management: A Study at the Mission San Jose Convento

This master’s thesis is the first study focused on historic graffiti at Mission San José’s convento. The study found that markings span from the post-secularization period through early twentieth-century tourism and into the present, including both incised and pigment-based markings. The presentation will describe the methods used to document and research historic graffiti, including field survey, photography methods, and archival research. It will also provide an overview of the historic-age graffiti documented during the survey, including trends, names, dates, and other symbols and imagery.