The Rosetta Stone

The Rosetta Stone is one of the most popular artefacts in the British Museum. Containing a decree written in Greek, Demotic and hieroglyphics, it proved to be the key to deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphics. This concise study traces the history of `the most famous piece of rock in the world' to become a modern icon and tells the story of the race to use it to decipher Egypt's ancient script by Jean-François Champollion and Thomas Young. Also includes a translation of the text.

Richard Parkinson is an Assistant Keeper in the Department of Ancient Egypt and Sudan at the British Museum, specializing in Ancient Egyptian texts; in 1999 - 2000 he curated the exhibition celebrating the bicentenary of the Rosetta Stone's discovery, Cracking Codes. His publications include Voices from Ancient Egypt, the prize-winning The Tale of Sinuhe and Other Ancient Egyptian Poems 1940 - 1640 BC, Poetry and Culture in Middle Kingdom Egypt and Cracking Codes.