Question: In which country was the Rosetta Stone found?
Show answer
Egypt.
The Rosetta Stone, one of the most critical archaeological finds in history, was discovered in Egypt. It was unearthed by French soldiers in 1799 during Napoleon Bonaparte’s military campaign in Egypt, near the town of Rosetta (Rashid in modern Arabic). This discovery occurred when the soldiers were fortifying an outpost, which later became Fort Julien.
The Rosetta Stone is renowned for its three inscriptions written in two languages: Ancient Greek and Egyptian. The Egyptian text appears in two scripts: the formal hieroglyphs and the more casual demotic script. The stone played a pivotal role in deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphs, a writing system lost to time till then.
The French scholar, Jean-François Champollion, is primarily credited with decoding the hieroglyphs in 1822. He used the known ancient Greek passage as a guide to decipher the other scripts, breaking down a significant linguistic barrier and providing a deeper understanding of ancient Egyptian civilization and its culture.
Although discovered by the French, the Rosetta Stone ended up in British hands after the French surrendered to the British in Egypt. It’s been displayed in the British Museum since 1802, except for a brief period during World War I, when it was moved for protection. Today, it remains one of the museum’s most popular exhibits, symbolizing the keys to understanding our shared ancient history.
