The Rosetta Stone, an ancient artifact discovered in Rosetta, Egypt, in 1799, was the key to unlocking the centuries-old mystery of Egyptian hieroglyphics. The black granite stone is a “stela” — a large standing slab used by ancient civilizations as a marker, typically for dedications or commemorations — inscribed with a text known as the “Decree of Memphis.” The text is, frankly, somewhat dull: It outlines the achievements of Ptolemy V Epiphanes, who ruled Egypt from 205 to 180 BCE. However, it’s not the subject of the stone but the script itself that is important.  The ...Read More