In 196 BC, Egypt’s priests issued a decree to honor their young king, Ptolemy V. In exchange for their loyalty, the king granted them major tax breaks. To ensure everyone got the message, this official announcement was carved onto a tall stone slab in three different scripts: sacred hieroglyphs for the priests, everyday Demotic for the public, and Ancient Greek for the ruling class. One of these slabs, a fragment of a larger stele, was placed in a temple. For centuries it stood as a simple piece of political communication. But as empires fell and languages were forgotten, its original meaning was lost, leaving behind a puzzle written in a forgotten code. How could anyone ever read it again?
The Rosetta Stone
A forgotten stone slab from 196 BC, found in a wall in 1799, held the key to deciphering ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs.
Chapter 1
A King's Decree
0:48
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the text on the Rosetta Stone actually say?
It is a political decree from 196 BC confirming the royal cult of the 13-year-old King Ptolemy V. In exchange for loyalty and religious honors from the priesthood, the king granted them significant tax exemptions. The decree lists the king's good deeds, such as commissioning temple repairs.
Why are there three different scripts on the Rosetta Stone?
The three scripts were used to communicate the same decree to different groups in Egyptian society. Hieroglyphs were the formal script used by priests, Demotic was the common script for everyday documents, and Ancient Greek was the language of the royal court and administration.
Who actually discovered the Rosetta Stone?
It was discovered by a French officer, Lieutenant Pierre-François Bouchard, in July 1799. His soldiers were rebuilding an old fort near the Egyptian town of Rosetta when they found the slab being used as construction material in a wall.
Learn more
To continue the story, download the Chunks Microlearning app
Or get it straight away:
Download on iOS
Download on Android