Database: The Rosetta Stone

A fragment of a larger stele engraved with three versions of the same text in three different languages, the Rosetta Stone is actually a decree issued on behalf of King Ptolemy V in 196 BC. It was discovered during Napoleon's campaign in Egypt. It was unique in that it offered Egyptologists the basis, in Ancient Greek, with which to decipher hieroglyphics. Jean-François Champollion deciphered the text to ultimately obtain the key to understand Egyptian hieroglyphics.