The 63 pieces of graffiti found on the 126 studied artefacts from Athens do not show a clear trend of being pre- or post-firing: both groups were found in roughly the same amount, although it remains difficult to differentiate between these two groups.

Pre-fired graffiti are generally placed by the producers of the ceramics. They were often located on the base, mostly of plates and bowls, which shows that they were not supposed to be seen unless the pottery was being handled. It is therefore likely that they were maker’s marks: through them, the vessel could be traced back to the original manufacturer. There are several reasons why this might have been important: first of all, if the material was fired in a communal kiln, the graffiti could aid in the identification of the owners of the various wares after firing. Second, maker’s marks could serve as an “insurance” of quality: names of artisans could be associated with better produce, thereby changing the value of the ceramic wares.

Graffiti placed after the pots were fired are less likely to be makers marks: their application is more difficult and time-consuming than those placed pre-firing. They are also more often located on visible locations (but not always). Because of this, they more likely to have been placed by later owners of the ceramics. Since the content of the object is likely to have changed repeatedly, it is more likely that the graffiti were meant to convey the person who owned the object. By doing this, the owner could find the object more easily if it was lost or stolen. These graffiti are therefore more likely to have been markers of identity.