Old-Style, Engadiner houses.

The word "graffiti" originates from Italian and means scratched (graffiare = to scratch). The reason for this lies in the fact that graffiti designs are not painted but scratched into a lime plaster. With multicoloured motifs, different layers of plaster would be applied to the wall. While the plaster is still wet, the motif is scratched into the wall with the aid of nails, knives, sticks or other sharpened instruments.