Jonathan Downs

British historian Jonathan Downs first published a revised history of the discovery of the Rosetta Stone in 2006, in the UK's 'History Today' magazine. 'Discovery at Rosetta' (Constable 2008), subsequently became the first full account of the British acquisition of the Rosetta Stone. It was welcomed by the British Museum and Egypt's Prof. Zahi Hawass and Dr Ismail Serageldin, Director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. He is co-author of 'Sea-Soldier', the diaries of a Royal Marine officer 1797-1813 (Parapress, 2000) and author of 'Life in the Industrial Revolution 1770-1809' (Shire 2010). He has given lectures on Napoleonic Egypt at universities and private associations, and written a number of articles in periodicals and the printed press, advocating for the repatriation of artefacts to their native countries, and a diplomatic solution between Britain, France and Egypt assuring a broader future for the Rosetta Stone. He currently lives in Cape Town, in South Africa.