Rosetta Stone Decipherment Day

What Happened on This Day: The Rosetta Stone Was Deciphered

September 14th marks the day in 1822 when French linguist Jean-François Champollion announced his successful decipherment of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, using the Rosetta Stone as his key.

One Linguist's Determination Solved a Centuries-Old Mystery

Champollion's announcement on this day was a turning point in the history of scholarship, opening the door to understanding records of ancient Egyptian civilization that had long remained a mystery.

• What is the Rosetta Stone: A stone slab discovered in Egypt in 1799, inscribed with the same text in three scripts: hieroglyphic, demotic, and ancient Greek
• The key to decipherment: Scholars believed that comparing the three scripts could unlock the long-unreadable hieroglyphic text
• Success: On September 14, 1822, Champollion announced that he had established a method for reading hieroglyphs
• Significance: This breakthrough gradually revealed ancient Egyptian records and history that had previously been unreadable

Not Just Pictures, But a System of Sound

Champollion's key insight was that hieroglyphs were not merely symbolic pictures but a writing system that also represented sounds. This discovery became the decisive clue that unlocked a mystery scholars had struggled with for centuries.

Ways to Mark the Day

• Learn more about the Rosetta Stone and hieroglyphic writing
• Read about the life and research of Jean-François Champollion
• Explore books or exhibits on ancient Egyptian civilization
• Search for images of the Rosetta Stone, held at the British Museum

The Power to Read Opened a Door to a Lost Civilization

This day looks back on a discovery that dramatically advanced our understanding of ancient civilization. On September 14th, take a moment to consider the power that written language and words hold.