The Rosetta Stone, Champollion and ancient languages

Video Description

This discussion explores how and why, some 200 years ago, the exciting race developed between French scholar Jean-Francois Champollion and England's Thomas Young to decipher the hieroglyphs on the Rosetta Stone. Join exhibition curator Dr Ilona Regulski as she introduces this event – and the Rosetta Stone. Dr Irving Finkel, British Museum, will then chair other distinguished experts to consider the momentous discovery of the Rosetta Stone in 1799 and why it was so important in the decipherment of ancient languages. The use of the three languages inscribed on the stone – hieroglyphs, demotic and Ancient Greek – suggested how the code of hieroglyphs and other ancient languages could be cracked through bi-lingualism. Author Andrew Robinson joins Prof Stephane Polis (University of Liege) to discuss the thrill of the discovery of the Rosetta Stone, the realisation of its importance, the rivalry to crack the code of hieroglyphs and Champollion's ultimately successful ground-breaking methods. This event is part of the public programme supporting Hieroglyphs: unlocking ancient Egypt (open until 19 February 2023). https://www.britishmuseum.org/exhibitions/hieroglyphs-unlocking-ancient-egypt Read more about how Egyptian hieroglyphs were decoded, a timeline to decipherment. https://www.britishmuseum.org/exhibitions/hieroglyphs-unlocking-ancient-egypt/egyptian-hieroglyphs-decipherment-timeline Sign up to our newsletters for the latest news on our work, stories about the collection and upcoming events: https://emails.britishmuseum.org/k/British-Museum/sign_up_form_from_website_box We’re bringing inspiring stories of humanity’s shared histories and cultural achievements to millions of people online. Your support ensures that we can continue to make the collection and videos like this one available to as many people as possible. If you can, please donate today: http://ow.ly/1e1Y30qHebG or you can text BMLEARN to 70085. Texts cost £5 plus one standard rate message (UK mobile networks only). Please see our social media code of conduct: http://ow.ly/HGiw30se20t Image credit: detail of hieroglyphs on the Rosetta Stone, Egypt, 196 BC. © The Trustees of the British Museum Collection online: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/Y_EA24