Menorah Graffiti on the Streets of Jerusalem

This article examines three menorah graffiti incised on paving stones along Roman–Byzantine streets of Jerusalem. The engravings appear beside depictions of board games, suggesting that pedestrians paused at these locations. All three graffiti are situated along streets oriented eastward, toward the Temple Mount, raising the likelihood that visual engagement with the sacred precinct influenced the incision of this Jewish symbol in the urban sphere. The article explores the context of the menorah graffiti and their cultural and historical significance within the public sphere. Drawing on archaeological data, historical sources and comparative examples of menorah representations in public settings in the Land of Israel and the diaspora, it proposes a contextual and chronological framework for understanding these informal yet symbolically charged expressions.