Amazing Facts About the Rosetta Stone

276

9Key to Ancient Egypt’s Language Puzzle

The Rosetta Stone became a linchpin in the decipherment of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. At the time of its discovery, the knowledge of hieroglyphs had been lost for centuries.

The inscription on the stone contained a decree issued at Memphis in 196 BCE, during the reign of King Ptolemy V. The fact that the decree was written in three scripts, with Greek providing the key, allowed scholars to gradually unlock the meanings of hieroglyphic and Demotic script.