Posted on 02/12/2024 1:35:16 PM PST by SunkenCiv
The Rosetta Stone is one of the most famous objects in the British Museum. But what is it? What does it actually say? And did you know that since the discovery of the the Rosetta Stone in 1799, another 27 copies have been found throughout Egypt, the most recent being discovered in 2011?
...Dr Ilona Regulski, Curator of Ancient Writing at the British Museum has this and so much more to tell you about the object that unlocked ancient Egypt...
However, there's still loads more to learn about this amazing object, so stick around for a while.
00:39 Where was the Rosetta Stone found?
01:46 What languages are on the Rosetta Stone?
02:20 What does the Rosetta Stone actually say?
05:14 How many copies of the Rosetta Stone are there?
07:30 What was on the missing parts of the Rosetta Stone?
09:15 Which language was written first on the Rosetta Stone?
12:31 What the hieroglyphs say on the Rosetta StoneThe Rosetta Stone and what it actually says with Ilona Regulski
Curator's Corner S7 Ep7 | 16:34
The British Museum | 598K subscribers | 1,594,700 views | October 13, 2022
(Excerpt) Read more at youtube.com ...
Your chariot’s warranty may have expired…
Did you also know her cousin Stele?
There was a time when visitors to the British Museum were “permitted” to touch the stone.
It was surrounded by reds velour ropes on stanchions that really did nothing to protect it. But after all, it’s a volcanic rock that scores a 6 on Moh’s scale of hardness, same as feldspar but not so hard as quartz, so you could rub on it with a bare hand from now until the sun goes supernova and not leave a mark.
There was nothing physically preventing you touching it but there was uniformed museum guard/matron who stood in the background to keep a lid on things. Whenever someone touched the stone — which happened every few minutes — she would discretely walk up behind them and whisper, “Please don’t touch the stone,” with no further reprisal.
It reminded me of that scene in the movie Zulu when Colour Sergeant Bourne says (in a very paternal tone), “Mr. Witt, sir? Be quiet now, will you? There’s a good gentleman.”
It was as if you had permission to touch the stone, but only once.
How veddy British.
In that same period you also could touch the Stone of Scone ... if no one was watching. It was in the seat of the coronation throne, on the high altar in Westminster Abbey. And if you went in during the tourist off-season, chances were good you could find a moment when there was no one else in the room and cop a feel. For that matter you could even sit on the throne.
But the English gave the Stone (which Edward the Long Shanks had captured in 1296 as spoils of war) back to the Scots in 1996. Now it’s imprisoned in a plexiglass case in Edinburgh Castle.
And the plexiglass monster also devoured the Rosetta Stone in 2004.
That was nice read such a detailed account of the Rosetta Stone. These days manners have degraded to a point where the plexiglass is needed but to be able to get a touch- alas no more.
Thank you.
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