Rosetta Stone – The Key to Deciphering Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs
Rosetta Stone – The Key to Deciphering Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs Have you ever wondered how we began to understand the mysterious symbols of ancient Egypt? One artifact, the Rosetta Stone , changed everything and became the breakthrough in language archaeology . ▲ The actual Rosetta Stone (Image: British Museum via Wikimedia Commons) 📌 What is the Rosetta Stone? The Rosetta Stone is an ancient granodiorite stele created in 196 BC in Egypt, containing the same text in three scripts : 1️⃣ Egyptian hieroglyphs (for religious text) 2️⃣ Demotic script (used for daily purposes) 3️⃣ Ancient Greek (the administrative language) This decree was issued by King Ptolemy V , and it later became the key to unlocking the lost Egyptian language . ▲ Bronze coin showing Ptolemy V (Image: Wikimedia Commons) 🔍 Discovery of the Rosetta Stone In 1799, during Napoleon’s military campaign in Egypt, French soldiers accidenta...