The Rosetta Stone, Copying an Ancient Copy

Abstract

There had been no proper understanding of the ancient Egyptian language and script until the discovery of the Rosetta Stone and its eventual decryption in 1822. The Rosetta Stone not only provided the means to decipher ancient Egyptian but also elicited an unprecedented appreciation for accurately copied inscriptions. Work on the Rosetta Stone was groundbreaking with regard to both the decipherment of the ancient Egyptian writing system and the subsequent recognition that direct access to objects was the basis for solid research. This chapter focuses both on the Stone as an ancient copy itself and on the early copying of the Stone.