Riddle of the Rosetta Stone

In the Egyptian Gallery of the British Museum sits an odd-shaped black rock—the Rosetta Stone. Unimpressive at first glance, it is nonetheless one of the greatest treasures of ancient Egypt, for it holds the key to this magnificent civilization.

Before the Rosetta Stone was found, Egyptian history was lost to the world. The only clues were the mysterious picture writings that adorned temples and pyramids. For hundreds of years, scholars struggled to decipher these hieroglyphs. Then, in 1799, soldiers in Napoleon's army stumbled on the Rosetta Stone.