The Rosetta Stone, a game-changer in archaeology from 196 BC, is nothing short of a legend.

Unearthed in 1799 by French soldiers in Egypt, this granodiorite behemoth features the same decree carved into three languages: Ancient Greek, Demotic, and the enigmatic Egyptian hieroglyphs. It didn’t just help us crack the code of hieroglyphics; it tore down the walls of ignorance surrounding centuries of ancient Egyptian language and history. Now showcased at the British Museum, the Rosetta Stone is a raw testament to how a single artifact can flip our understanding of an entire civilization on its head.

This inscribed decree, issued in 196 BC on behalf of King Ptolemy V, gushes over the pharaoh’s rule, crowning him a benevolent leader who lavished generosity on the priesthood, stabilized Egypt, and built temples. Within its text lie insights into the privileges granted to priests, tax collections, and royal edicts that were to reverberate through the entire kingdom. Written in three distinct scripts—sacred hieroglyphs for the divine, pragmatic Demotic for day-to-day governance, and Ancient Greek for the rulers—the decree was designed to resonate across various strata of Egyptian society. It embodies the rich tapestry of cultural fusion that flourished under Ptolemaic reign.