fig. 1
Pre Internet
Perhaps the oldest known memes is the “Sator
Square.” The first recorded appearance of the
“Sator Square” is in the ruins of Pompeii. (Fig.
1) However, appearances of this phrase span
England, Egypt, and Sweden, among other
countries. This is a 2D palindrome, meaning it
is the same phrase vertically and horizontally.
One likely translation is “The farmer Arepo
has [as] works wheels [a plough].” Although
there are some associations with Christianity,
the origins of the palindrome are unknown.
There are records of this meme existing inter-
nationally, from England to Egypt. (Fig. 2)
Kilroy was Here
“Foo was here” is a simple image of a face peek-
ing over a wall that became popular in Australia
during World War 1. This image became wide-
spread graffiti during the 1940s as “Kilroy was
here,” which was the Americanized version.
(Fig. 3) There were a number of other names
4 | Part One: Early Memes
fig. 2
used, such as Chad in the United Kingdom
and Clem in Canada. Kilroy has also infiltrated
popular culture. For example, the phrase ‘Kilroy
was here’ is seen on a rock in the Looney Tunes
short, Haredevil Hare from 1948. Although
its popularity has diminished, the “Kilroy was
here” is far from dead. More recently, Kilroy
appears in graffiti in the bathroom scenes of the
Canadian show Total Drama Island in 2007.
Children’s Street Culture
Children’s street culture is the culture devel-
oped by children. This culture is passed on from
one generation of children to the next, often
on playgrounds and other gathering places
for young children. These memes are inher-
ent in our society, with many people being
aware of these games and traditions with-
out the memory of where they first learned it.
Examples of this range from hand games, such
as “Miss Mary Mack,” to horror stories, like
“Bloody Mary.” Although there are different
memes in various cultures, it is clear that each
country’s children have their own cultures.