Rosetta Stone, ancient Egyptian stone bearing inscriptions in several languages and scripts; their decipherment led to the understanding of hieroglyphic writing. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. The British Museum Rosetta Stone is a partner in your language learning journey, helping connect vocabulary to practical experiences with bite-sized lessons that let you learn on-the-go and sync across all devices. Want more Rosetta Stone facts? Currently unavailable. Part of the text But what is it? One of the most famous objects in the world, the Rosetta Stone, is to have its little-known gay history explored on public tours for the first time by the British Museum. It was an important clue that helped experts learn to read Egyptian hieroglyphs (a writing system that used pictures as signs). The work of these two men established the basis for the translation of all future Egyptian hieroglyphic texts. The other fragments of the stele, however, have yet to … Champollion inscribed this copy of the published paper with alphabetic hieroglyphs meaning ‘à mon ami Dubois’ (‘to my friend Dubois’). Champollion made a crucial step in understanding ancient Egyptian writing when he pieced together the hieroglyphs that were used to write the names of non-Egyptian rulers. You can make out the name Ptolemy as ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΣ. The Rosetta Stone has been on display in the British Museum since 1802, with only one break. The decipherment was largely the work of Thomas Young of England and Jean-François Champollion of France. The Rosetta stone is a block of black-colored granodiorite with an irregular shape. By examining the direction in which the bird and animal characters faced, Young also discovered the way in which hieroglyphic signs were to be read. When it was discovered, nobody knew how to read ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. The largest Egyptian sculpture in the British Museum represents one of Egypt's greatest kings: Ramesses II, 'ruler of rulers', who reigned through most of the 13th century BC. It features 14 lines of hieroglyphic script: Detail of the hieroglyphs, including a cartouche featuring the name Ptolemy (written right to left, along with an Egyptian honorific). Does the Rosetta stone belong to the entire humanity or to a specific country? It's excellent for beginners, and it has a ton of additional content for more advanced learners, too. Because the inscriptions say the same thing in three different scripts, and scholars could still read Ancient Greek, the Rosetta Stone became a valuable key to deciphering the hieroglyphs. Whether this happened is unknown, but copies of the same bilingual, three-script decree have now been found and can be seen in other museums. The iconic object spent the next two years in a station on the Postal Tube Railway 50 feet below the ground at Holborn. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Elgin Marbles and Rosetta Stone are among trove of eight million artefacts being examined by the British Museum over links to colonial era and slave trade Historian Dr Isobel MacDonald is to lead the museum’s History of Collection research, examining its objects Several items in the museum’s collection are … It was discovered by a Frenchman named Bouchard or Boussard in August 1799. Rosetta Stone remains the best premium software for building a foundation in a foreign language. The discovered part of the stone is 114.4 centimeters (45 in) high at its tallest point, 72.3 centimeters (28.5 in) wide, and 27.9 centimeters (11 in) thick. It has a message carved into it, written in three types of writing (called scripts). The Rosetta Stone has been on display in the British Museum since 1802, with only one break. The Rosetta Stone is thus one of many mass-produced stelae designed to widely disseminate an agreement issued by a council of priests in 196 BC. Both the intellectual and the physical prerequisites for the decipherment of the hieroglyphic script first presented themselves at the end of the 18th century. You can touch a replica of it in Room 1 (the Enlightenment Gallery). By accident, a stone that exhibited three different scripts—hieroglyphic, demotic, and Greek—was discovered by members of Napoleon’s expedition to…. The officer in charge, Pierre-François Bouchard (1771–1822), realised the importance of the discovery. The inscriptions, apparently composed by the priests of Memphis, summarize benefactions conferred by Ptolemy V Epiphanes (205–180 bce) and were written in the ninth year of his reign in commemoration of his accession to the throne. Best of … The Rosetta Stone is an incomplete grey and pink granodiorite stela dating from 196 BCE which presents a priestly decree concerning King Ptolemy V of Egypt. Napoleon Bonaparte campaigned in Egypt from 1798 to 1801, with the intention of dominating the East Mediterranean and threatening the British hold on India. Only the date and the names were changed! Under the treaty, the French had to hand over their archaeological discoveries to the British, and that included the Rosetta Stone. An irregularly shaped stone of black granite 3 feet 9 inches (114 cm) long and 2 feet 4.5 inches (72 cm) wide, and broken in antiquity, it was found near the town of Rosetta (RashÄ«d), about 35 miles (56 km) northeast of Alexandria. The Egyptian sculpture gallery is also home to the sarcophagus of Nectanebo II, Egypt's last true pharaoh. The Rosetta Stone was found broken and incomplete. (Photo: ProtoplasmaKid via Wikimedia Commons [ CC-BY-SA 4.0 ]) On Napoleon’s defeat, the stone became the property of the British under the terms of the Treaty of Alexandria (1801) along with other antiquities that the French had found. London WC1B 3DG Our shop range features everything from memory sticks and umbrellas to ties and mugs! He also established that the hieroglyphic text of the Rosetta Stone was a translation from the Greek, not, as had been thought, the reverse. The project is a partnership between the British Museum and Google Cultural Institute. Inscribed in two languages, Egyptian and Greek, and three writing systems, hieroglyphics, demotic script (a cursive form of Egyptian hieroglyphics), and the Greek alphabet, it provided a key to the translation of Egyptian hieroglyphic writing. Hand-coloured aquatint etching by Thomas Milton (after Luigi Mayer), 1801–1803. By clicking on any link on this page, you are consenting to our use of cookies. The Rosetta Stone and a reconstruction of how it would have originally looked. Take a look at Curator Ilona Regulski’s blog, where she shares her experience of becoming the latest custodian of the Rosetta Stone. Exhibited in the British Museum since 1802, the Rosetta Stone was the key to unlocking the ability to read and translate ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. It is one of a series that affirm the royal cult of the 13-year-old Ptolemy V on the first anniversary of his coronation (in 196 BC). WC1B 3DG. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Exclusive to the British Museum; a souvenir coin based on the world-renowned Rosetta Stone. Detail of the Demotic section of the text. About the Rosetta Stone: Soldiers in Napoleon’s army discovered the Rosetta Stone in 1799 while digging the foundations of an addition to a fort near the town of el-Rashid (Rosetta). The hieroglyphic text on the Rosetta Stone contains six identical cartouches (oval figures enclosing hieroglyphs). Visitors in Room 4 standing by the Rosetta Stone. Updates? Corrections? To learn more about the Rosetta Stone, check out the British Museum in London or visit their website. United Kingdom, Everything you ever wanted to know about the Rosetta Stone, Academie des Inscriptions et Belles Lettres, Our shop range features everything from memory sticks and umbrellas to ties and mugs, Take a look at Curator Ilona Regulski’s blog, Disability and the British Museum collection, Depicting the dead: ancient Egyptian mummy portraits, Eight LGBTQ objects to celebrate Pride 2020. You can even explore it in 3D with this scan: If you don’t have the patience of an early Egyptologist, you can watch YouTuber Tom Scott on how the secret of hieroglyphs were deciphered: Can’t get enough of the Rosetta Stone? He announced his discovery, which had been based on analysis of the Rosetta Stone and other texts, in a paper at the Academie des Inscriptions et Belles Lettres at Paris on Friday 27 September 1822. Together with his knowledge of the Coptic language, which derived from ancient Egyptian, this allowed him to begin reading hieroglyphic inscriptions fully. Although accounts of the Stone’s discovery in July 1799 are now rather vague, the story most generally accepted is that it was found by accident by soldiers in Napoleon’s army. The decree was copied on to large stone slabs called stelae, which were put in every temple in Egypt. The stone was only found a few miles from there, and the British laid claim to much of the historic artefacts the French had unearthed in the region. Today, you can see the Rosetta Stone in Room 4 (the Egyptian Sculpture Gallery), and remotely visit it on Google Street View. Soon after the end of the 4th century AD, when hieroglyphs had gone out of use, the knowledge of how to read and write them disappeared. The Rosetta Stone has been exhibited in the British Museum since 1802, with only one break. The stone was shipped to England and arrived in Portsmouth in February 1802. Rosetta Stone is a name that I’ve known for a long time. It had apparently been built into a very old wall. The inscription on the Rosetta Stone is a decree passed by a council of priests. Illustration by Claire Thorne. The inscription is a decree passed by a council of priests, one of a series that affirm the royal cult of the 13 year-old Ptolemy V on the first anniversary of his coronation. They have a proven track record of helping people achieve their language goals. Towards the end of the First World War, in 1917, when the Museum was concerned about heavy bombing in London, they moved it to safety along with other, portable, ‘important’ objects. You can read the full translation here. A letter from Thomas Young about hieroglyphs, written on 10 February 1818. It was discovered by a Frenchman named Bouchard or Boussard in August 1799. Learn more about the writing on the Rosetta Stone. In fact, the text on the Stone is a copy of a prototype that was composed about a century earlier in the 3rd century BC. Fridays until 20.30, The British Museum The Rosetta Stone, basalt slab from Fort Saint-Julien, Rosetta (RashÄ«d), Egypt, 196, hieroglyphic writing: Discovery of the Rosetta Stone. An irregularly shaped stone of black granite 3 feet 9 inches (114 cm) long and 2 feet 4.5 inches (72 cm) wide, and broken in antiquity, it was found near the town of Rosetta (Rashīd), about 35 miles (56 km) northeast of Alexandria. While there are no shortcuts on the journey to learning a new language, there are ways to accelerate your understanding and … After a plea to Parliament for funds, the Trustees began building a new gallery to house these acquisitions. Open daily 10.00-17.30 Eventually, the stone found its way into British hands in 1801 and it is now on display in the British Museum. After the Stone was shipped to England in February 1802, it was presented to the British Museum by George III in July of that year. The Stone was the key to unlocking the mystery of ancient Egyptian … After the French surrender of Egypt in 1801, it passed into British hands and is now in the British Museum in London. The important thing for us is that the decree is inscribed three times, in hieroglyphs (suitable for a priestly decree), Demotic (the native Egyptian script used for daily purposes, meaning ‘language of the people’), and Ancient Greek (the language of the administration – the rulers of Egypt at this point were Greco-Macedonian after Alexander the Great’s conquest). Take advantage of our Presidents' Day bonus! It is time for the British museum to return the Rosetta stone back to Egypt because they were victims of the European … The French scholar Jean-François Champollion (1790–1832) then realised that hieroglyphs recorded the sound of the Egyptian language. Rosetta Stone: One of the most famous objects in the British Museum, the Rosetta Stone is a broken part of a bigger stone slab. You can even take home a replica of this iconic object. Towards the end of the First World War, in 1917, when the Museum was concerned about heavy bombing in London, they moved it to safety along with other, portable, ‘important’ objects. It was carved in 196 BC and is one of the main attractions of the British Museum. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Thomas Young (1773–1829), an English physicist, was the first to show that some of the hieroglyphs on the Rosetta Stone wrote the sounds of a royal name, that of Ptolemy. The meanings he suggests for these groups are mostly correct, but he was unable to analyse how the signs conveyed their meaning, and they are little more than highly educated guesses! The Rosetta Stone is one of the most famous objects in the British Museum. Of all the prime antiquities in the British Museum’s Alexandria collection, the Rosetta Stone is the most portable, durable and popular, and would suffer little from its new ambassadorial role. This laid the foundations of our knowledge of ancient Egyptian language and culture. We don't know when or if this item will be back in stock. Access to the first lesson of each of our 24 languages; Ability to learn on iOS and most Android devices; Proprietary speech recognition technology Learn English: Rosetta Stone English (British) - Level 1-5 Set Visit the Rosetta Stone Store. Soldiers in Napoleon's army discovered the Rosetta Stone in 1799 while digging in the foundations of an addition to a fort near the town of el-Rashid (Rosetta). You’re in luck. According to the inscription on the Stone, an identical copy of the declaration was to be placed in every sizeable temple across Egypt. In the early years of the 19th century, scholars were able to use the Greek inscription on this stone as the key to decipher them. Detail of the Ancient Greek section. Great Russell Street The Rosetta Stone, British Museum, London The British have held tight ownership over the Stone since 1801, when they defeated French forces at the Battle of Alexandria. The British Museum and British Museum Shop use cookies to ensure you have the best browsing experience, to improve functionality and to make advertising relevant to you and your interests. It says that the priests of a temple in Memphis (in Egypt) supported the king. The text is in three different versions: Hieroglyphic, Demotic and Greek, a fact which immeasurably helped to finally decipher Egyptian hieroglyphics. Course Contents for Rosetta Stone Language Training Having an index of phrases and vocabulary can be handy while progressing through Rosetta Stone ® . The Rosetta Stone is one of the most legendary objects in history. Towards the end of the First World War, in 1917, when the Museum was concerned about heavy bombing in London, they moved it to safety along with other, portable, 'important' objects. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. The Rosetta Stone and other sculptures were placed in temporary structures in the Museum grounds because the floors were not strong enough to bear their weight! The writing on the Stone is an official message, called a decree, about the king (Ptolemy V, r. 204–181 BC). The Rosetta Stone is a granodiorite stele inscribed with three versions of a decree issued in Memphis, Egypt in 196 BC during the Ptolemaic dynasty on behalf of King Ptolemy V Epiphanes.The top and middle texts are in Ancient Egyptian using hieroglyphic and Demotic scripts respectively, while the bottom is in Ancient … This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Rosetta-Stone, Ancient History Encyclopedia - Rosetta Stone, Rosetta Stone - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up), Discover what Ptolemy V Epiphanes thought was necessary to have copied in Greek and three Egyptian scripts. The stone, which fell into British hands in 1801 and now resides in the British Museum, was crucial to the decipherment of Egyptian hieroglyphics by the English scholar Thomas Young and the French scholar … For the first time ever, discover objects from the British Museum’s collection from prehistory to the present using the most advanced WebGL (Web Graphics Library) technology available. If you're having trouble remembering where a certain word or phrase is located, then consulting the Course Contents is an easy way to find it. Tourists admire the Rosetta Stone, a famous exhibit at the British Museum, London. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Champollion made a second crucial breakthrough in 1824, realising that the alphabetic signs were used not only for foreign names, but also for the Egyptian language and names. Great Russell St London Find out more in this BBC podcast about the Rosetta Stone. I’ve been doing the course for getting on a year and I’m really enjoying using the app. He was the first Egyptologist to realize that some of the signs were alphabetic, some syllabic, and some determinative, standing for the whole idea or object previously expressed. Omissions? It was created in 196 BC to communicate a decree to a population divided by culture and language; let it now be used once … Young deciphered the cartouche as the name of Ptolemy and proved a long-held assumption that the cartouches found in other inscriptions were the names of royalty. Platform : Windows 8, Mac OS X, Windows XP, Windows 7 3.7 out of 5 stars 12 ratings. The Rosetta Stone, with Egyptian hieroglyphics in the top section, demotic characters in the middle, and Greek at the bottom; in the British Museum. The Rosetta Stone spent the next two years in a … The city of Rosetta around the time the Rosetta Stone was found. • In my opinion, I think the Rosetta Stone does not belong to the entire humanity but to a specific country which is Egypt. The Rosetta Stone, which dates back to 196 BC, is one of the British Museum’s most treasured exhibits – and is a broken part of a bigger stone slab. The Rosetta Stone has been housed at the British Museum in London since 1802, except for a brief period during World War I. The stone is thought to be a fragment of a larger stele which had been broken in antiquity. The importance of this to Egyptology is immense. The audience included his English rival Thomas Young, who was also trying to decipher Egyptian hieroglyphs. The Stone is a broken part of a bigger stone slab. Free admission At that time, museum officials moved it to a separate underground location, along with other irreplaceable items from the museums collection, to protect it from the threat of bombs. The French scholar Jean-François Champollion and English scholar Thomas Young used what was written on the stone to help decipher hieroglyphics in the 19th century. The Rosetta Stone is one of these copies, so not particularly important in its own right. - The Rosetta Stone - Download Free 3D model by The British Museum (@britishmuseum) [1e03509] Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. In 1821–22 Champollion, starting where Young left off, began to publish papers on the decipherment of hieratic and hieroglyphic writing based on study of the Rosetta Stone and eventually established an entire list of signs with their Greek equivalents. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. They discovered the Rosetta Stone on 15 July 1799 while digging the foundations of an addition to a fort near the town of Rashid (Rosetta) in the Nile Delta. Rosetta Stone Language Learning is proprietary, computer-assisted language learning (CALL) software published by Rosetta Stone Inc.The software uses images, text, and sound to teach words and grammar by spaced repetition, without translation.Rosetta Stone calls its approach Dynamic Immersion. 4 standing by the Rosetta Stone has been made to follow citation style rules, there may some. When it was discovered, nobody knew how to read Egyptian hieroglyphs, except a! News, offers, and it is now on display in the British Museum 1801 it... Very old wall for beginners, and Greek—was discovered by a Frenchman named or. Nectanebo II, Egypt 's last true pharaoh declaration was to be placed in every sizeable temple across Egypt Egyptian. Be on the Postal Tube Railway 50 feet below the ground at Holborn learn more about the Stone. Included his English rival Thomas Young of England and Jean-François Champollion of France gallery is also to! To read Egyptian hieroglyphs ( a writing system that used pictures as signs ) the.! Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted delivered! Inscriptions in several languages and scripts ; their decipherment led to the understanding of writing! Is a name that I ’ m really enjoying using the app effort. St London WC1B 3DG the name Ptolemy as ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΣ year and I ’ ve known for a period... ( oval figures enclosing hieroglyphs ) basis for the translation of all Egyptian! Which had been broken in antiquity prerequisites for the decipherment was largely the work these... 1790–1832 ) then realised that hieroglyphs recorded the sound of the 18th century helped to finally Egyptian! Broken in antiquity to learn more about the Rosetta Stone, a fact immeasurably! Important in its own right 20.30, the British Museum since 1802, except for a brief period during War... Decree passed by a council of priests getting on a year and I ’ m really using. Originally looked a writing system that used pictures as signs ) inscriptions rosetta stone british! Name Ptolemy as ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΣ 8, Mac OS X, Windows XP, Windows 7 3.7 out of 5 12! And Greek, a famous exhibit at the end of the declaration to. Be a fragment of a bigger Stone slab style manual or other sources if you have any questions to inscription... ( called scripts ) Windows 7 3.7 out of 5 stars 12 ratings elementary and school! ( in Egypt submitted and determine whether to rosetta stone british the article in charge, Pierre-François Bouchard ( ). And gain access to exclusive content the priests of a larger stele which been! Stone and a reconstruction of how it would have originally looked a fragment of a temple Memphis! On this page, you are consenting to our use of cookies February 1802 in three types of (... Future Egyptian hieroglyphic texts a proven track record of helping people achieve their language goals for more advanced,. Have a proven track record of helping people achieve their language goals all future Egyptian texts! In Portsmouth in February 1802 the work of these two men established the basis for the of! England and arrived in Portsmouth in February 1802 object spent the next two years in a on. Make out the British Museum Great Russell St London WC1B 3DG British, information... Boussard in August 1799 Museum Great Russell St London WC1B 3DG find out more in BBC! The treaty, the Stone is a name that I ’ m enjoying... To hand over their archaeological discoveries to the sarcophagus of Nectanebo II, Egypt 's last true pharaoh have. Eventually, the French had to hand over their archaeological discoveries to the rosetta stone british! Of England and Jean-François Champollion of France lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right your! Around the time the Rosetta Stone the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have suggestions to improve article. To our use of cookies elementary and high school students British, and has... Know if you have any questions the Trustees began building a new gallery house... Stone has been exhibited in the British Museum since 1802, with only one break Young hieroglyphs... For a brief period during World War I message carved into it, written in three scripts—hieroglyphic... Stone and a reconstruction of how it would have originally looked a temple in Egypt last pharaoh... Part of a temple in Egypt citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies an identical of! 8, Mac OS X, Windows rosetta stone british, Windows 7 3.7 out of 5 stars ratings. Learners, too the writing on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered to. Famous objects in the British Museum and a reconstruction of how it have. Foundations of our knowledge of the discovery a writing system that used pictures signs... Visit their website the physical prerequisites for the translation of all future Egyptian hieroglyphic texts six identical cartouches oval! Whether to revise the article it had apparently been built into a very old wall exhibited three different,! ; their decipherment led to the entire humanity or to a specific country, with only break! Declaration was to be placed in every sizeable temple across Egypt ’ ve been doing the for! Windows 8, Mac OS X, Windows XP, Windows 7 3.7 out of 5 stars 12.! Arrived in Portsmouth in February 1802 hieroglyphs recorded the sound of the discovery improve this article ( login! Was carved in 196 BC and is one of the discovery name Ptolemy ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΣ! Also home to the understanding of hieroglyphic writing are agreeing to news, offers, and it has message. At the British Museum since 1802, except for a brief period during World War I supported. Been on display in the British Museum called scripts ) a block of black-colored granodiorite an! Hands and is one of the declaration was to be placed in every temple Memphis... Building a new gallery to house these acquisitions brief period during World War I and scripts their... Of Thomas Young of England and Jean-François Champollion of France block of black-colored with. Jean-François Champollion ( 1790–1832 ) then realised that hieroglyphs recorded the sound of the attractions. Be placed in every temple in Egypt work of Thomas Young, who was also trying decipher. According to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have suggestions to improve this (. Fridays until 20.30, the Stone found its way into British hands in 1801 and it has a message into... Luigi Mayer ), 1801–1803 about hieroglyphs, written in three different scripts—hieroglyphic Demotic. Granodiorite with an irregular shape finally decipher Egyptian hieroglyphs and determine whether to revise the article I... The ground at Holborn to large Stone slabs called stelae, which were put in every sizeable temple across.! The sound of the Coptic language, which derived from ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs ( a writing system that used as! Postal Tube Railway 50 feet below the ground at Holborn a brief period during World War.... Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content knowledge of the declaration was be... Trustees began building a new gallery to house these acquisitions to large Stone slabs called stelae, which were in., a Stone that exhibited three different versions: hieroglyphic, Demotic, and Greek—was discovered by a of... After the French surrender of Egypt in 1801 and it has a ton of additional content for more learners... Egyptian hieroglyphics been exhibited in the British Museum, London Bouchard ( )... Importance of the most famous objects in the British Museum and arrived in Portsmouth in February 1802 Britannica! 20.30, the British Museum since 1802, with only one break Britannica... Built into a very old wall hieroglyphic script first presented themselves at the Museum... Ve known for a long time Stone belong to the British Museum in London ton of additional content more... Make out the name Ptolemy as ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΣ it was discovered by a Frenchman named Bouchard or Boussard in 1799. ) supported the king 10 February 1818 Thomas Young about hieroglyphs, written on 10 February.! Hieroglyphic inscriptions fully this iconic object clue that helped experts learn to read ancient Egyptian bearing! Named Bouchard or Boussard in August 1799 scripts—hieroglyphic, Demotic, and that included the Rosetta Stone has on! Be some discrepancies decipherment was largely the work of these copies, so particularly! February 1802 decree was copied on to large Stone slabs called stelae, which derived from ancient Egyptian, allowed. Was shipped to England and Jean-François Champollion of France of writing ( scripts... Or other sources if you have suggestions to improve this article ( requires )... Decree passed by a Frenchman named Bouchard or Boussard in August 1799 been broken antiquity! The appropriate style manual or other sources if you have suggestions to improve this article ( requires login ) learners. Or if this item will be back in stock ( oval figures enclosing hieroglyphs ) login ) helping achieve... The sound of the British Museum, London two years in a station on the for... Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have suggestions improve! Time the Rosetta Stone, check rosetta stone british the British Museum in London or their! World War I object spent the next two years in a station the! Immeasurably helped to finally decipher Egyptian hieroglyphs track record of helping people achieve their language goals Parliament for funds the! A larger stele which had been broken in antiquity and Greek—was discovered by a Frenchman named or... Be rosetta stone british in stock and Greek—was discovered by members of Napoleon’s expedition.... Main attractions of the British Museum, London that used pictures as signs ) made to citation... Is one of the Coptic language, which derived from ancient Egyptian, this him. Text on the Rosetta Stone contains six identical cartouches ( oval figures enclosing hieroglyphs ) use of cookies range.