The Rosetta Stone, a ¾-ton chunk of basalt with three languages written on it, was the key to deciphering the meaning of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics. It was first discovered in 1799 in Egypt but many years elapsed before its significance was determined.

Discovery

The Rosetta Stone was discovered in el-Rashid, Egypt, by Napoleon's invading troops, who were building an addition to a fort. El-Rashid translates as "Rosetta."

Writings on the Stone

A statement about Ptolemy written by priests was inscribed in three languages on the stone. The languages were Egyptian hieroglyphics, Greek and demotic, the language used in secular documents, according to the British Museum, which dates the inscription to about 196 B.C.

Deciphering Hieroglyphics

Hieroglyphics went out of fashion around the fourth century B.C., and no one knew what the hieroglyphics on the stone said when it was discovered. In the 1820s, British and French scholars realized that some of the hieroglyphics represented the sounds for the Egyptian king Ptolemy V, according to Egyptology.online.com.

The Stone's Significance

The Rosetta Stone is credited with being the key that unlocked the meaning of ancient hieroglyphics and led to the start of modern Egyptology.

The Stone Today

The original Rosetta Stone was given to Britain under the Treaty of Alexandria in 1801. It has been displayed at the British Museum in London since 1802.

Source:

British Museum

Egyptologyonline.com

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