Discovery at Rosetta: Revealing Ancient Egypt
The first full account of the English acquisition of the Rosetta Stone in 1801

“A real-life story of intrigue, sacrifice and distrust in a country at war—the first complete account of the stone itself.”—Ancient Egypt


In 1798, young French general Napoleon Bonaparte entered Egypt with a veteran army and a specialist group of savants—scientists, engineers, and artists—his aim being not just conquest, but the rediscovery of the lost Nile kingdom. A year later, in the ruins of an old fort in the small port of Rosetta, the savants made a startling discovery: a large, flat stone, inscribed in Greek, demotic Egyptian, and ancient hieroglyphics. This was the Rosetta Stone, key to the two-thousand-year mystery of hieroglyphs, and to Egypt itself. Two years later, French forces retreated before the English and Ottoman armies, but would not give up the stone. Caught between the opposing generals at the siege of Alexandria, British special agents went in to find the Rosetta Stone, rescue the French savants, and secure a fragile peace treaty.

Discovery at Rosetta uses French, Egyptian, and English eyewitness accounts to tell the complete story of the discovery, decipherment, and capture of the Rosetta Stone, investigating the rivalries and politics of the time, and the fate of the stone today.
1130617543
Discovery at Rosetta: Revealing Ancient Egypt
The first full account of the English acquisition of the Rosetta Stone in 1801

“A real-life story of intrigue, sacrifice and distrust in a country at war—the first complete account of the stone itself.”—Ancient Egypt


In 1798, young French general Napoleon Bonaparte entered Egypt with a veteran army and a specialist group of savants—scientists, engineers, and artists—his aim being not just conquest, but the rediscovery of the lost Nile kingdom. A year later, in the ruins of an old fort in the small port of Rosetta, the savants made a startling discovery: a large, flat stone, inscribed in Greek, demotic Egyptian, and ancient hieroglyphics. This was the Rosetta Stone, key to the two-thousand-year mystery of hieroglyphs, and to Egypt itself. Two years later, French forces retreated before the English and Ottoman armies, but would not give up the stone. Caught between the opposing generals at the siege of Alexandria, British special agents went in to find the Rosetta Stone, rescue the French savants, and secure a fragile peace treaty.

Discovery at Rosetta uses French, Egyptian, and English eyewitness accounts to tell the complete story of the discovery, decipherment, and capture of the Rosetta Stone, investigating the rivalries and politics of the time, and the fate of the stone today.
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Discovery at Rosetta: Revealing Ancient Egypt

Discovery at Rosetta: Revealing Ancient Egypt

by Jonathan Downs
Discovery at Rosetta: Revealing Ancient Egypt

Discovery at Rosetta: Revealing Ancient Egypt

by Jonathan Downs

Paperback(Reprint)

$24.95 
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Overview

The first full account of the English acquisition of the Rosetta Stone in 1801

“A real-life story of intrigue, sacrifice and distrust in a country at war—the first complete account of the stone itself.”—Ancient Egypt


In 1798, young French general Napoleon Bonaparte entered Egypt with a veteran army and a specialist group of savants—scientists, engineers, and artists—his aim being not just conquest, but the rediscovery of the lost Nile kingdom. A year later, in the ruins of an old fort in the small port of Rosetta, the savants made a startling discovery: a large, flat stone, inscribed in Greek, demotic Egyptian, and ancient hieroglyphics. This was the Rosetta Stone, key to the two-thousand-year mystery of hieroglyphs, and to Egypt itself. Two years later, French forces retreated before the English and Ottoman armies, but would not give up the stone. Caught between the opposing generals at the siege of Alexandria, British special agents went in to find the Rosetta Stone, rescue the French savants, and secure a fragile peace treaty.

Discovery at Rosetta uses French, Egyptian, and English eyewitness accounts to tell the complete story of the discovery, decipherment, and capture of the Rosetta Stone, investigating the rivalries and politics of the time, and the fate of the stone today.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9789774169267
Publisher: American University in Cairo Press, The
Publication date: 01/28/2020
Edition description: Reprint
Pages: 288
Product dimensions: 5.40(w) x 8.20(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Jonathan Downs is an editor, lecturer, and journalist. He is the author of The Industrial Revolution, Britain 1770-1810 (2010), co-author of Sea-Soldier (2000), and has written for the printed press and periodicals such as History Today.

Table of Contents

Foreword to the Second Edition ix

Acknowledgements xi

List of Illustrations xiii

Maps xiv

Introduction The Sword and the Stone xix

Chapter 1 Egypt: The Lost World 1

Chapter 2 A Raging Continent: Europe at War 18

Chapter 3 Triumph and Disaster 40

Chapter 4 The New Colony 58

Chapter 5 The Stone - July 1799 74

Chapter 6 Assassins and the Pig-General 90

Chapter 7 Castle Keep 108

Chapter 8 Stone Cold in Alex 130

Chapter 9 Scavenger Hunt 147

Chapter 10 Splendid Plunder 165

Chapter 11 The Key 185

Epilogue A Proud Trophy 210

Appendix 1 The Inscription on the Rosetta Stone: The Decree of Memphis 216

Appendix 2 Recovery of the Rosetta Stone: The Account of Major-General Turner 223

Appendix 3 Recovery of the Rosetta Stone: The Account of E. D. Clarke, LL.D. 226

Appendix 4 Wybourn's List of Antiquities 228

Appendix 5 The Work of Arabic Scholars and the Translation of Hieroglyphs 231

Notes 237

Bibliography 257

Index 261

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