The discovery and eventual decipherment of the Rosetta Stone unlocked the mysteries of ancient Egypt. The Rosetta Stone changed what the world knew about ancient Egypt. It is currently at the British Museum in London. Egypt thinks that the Rosetta Stone should be returned to Egypt. Egyptians believe they have a stronger claim to the stone than the British. In this paper I will give the arguments the British use to support their claims for their continued possession of the Rosetta Stone and the Egyptians rebuttals to that claim.
The Rosetta Stone is a granodiorite stele that is almost four feet long and two-and-a-half feet wide. The stone was found in 1799 in a village near Alexandria, Egypt called Rashid, modern day Rosetta. The stone was
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discovered by a French man under the command of Napoleon Bonaparte. Napoleon was in Egypt on a military campaign. The stone shows two different languages -- Egyptian and Greek -- using three different scripts of writing -- Hieroglyphic, Demotic and Greek. The stele features an announcement of the goodness and generosity of the Pharaoh Ptolemy the Fifth. Jean-François Champollion, a French scholar, was able to decipher the writing on the stone, but it is also worth noting that he may not have been the first to attempt its decoding. Thomas Young, an English physician and physicist and Egyptologist initially began to unlock the Rosetta Stone. Mr. Young discovered mistakes in late eighteenth-century knowledge of demotic script and by 1814 was able to translate that portion of the Rosetta Stone. But then he got distracted by other work, which left Mr. Champollion to finish deciphering the Rosetta Stone. Because of the combined effort of these two men, we are now able to understand ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics and culture. The stele remained in French possession until they lost it to the British in 1801.
The British acquired the Rosetta Stone from the French after they defeated the French in a battle for control of Alexandria. They acquired the stone as well as other antiquities that the French had “found,” but the Rosetta Stone was arguably the most important artifact. The British acquired the stele through “the Articles of Capitulation… [which had] been signed not only by Hutchinson and Menou, but also by Hassan, the Kapudan Pasha, (the Ottoman High Admiral and commander of Turkish forces in Alexandria); Osman Bey, the Mameluke ruler who succeeded the now dead Murad Bey as governor of the country after the departure of the British had signed the surrender of Cairo in June on behalf of the highest Minister of the Ottoman Empire, the Grand Vizier, but only Hassan [often mistakenly written as Hussim] signed on behalf of the Sultan in Alexandria: these men represented the only recognised government of Egypt ” (Downs) This document shows that Egypt had legally signed over the Rosetta Stone and the other antiquities to the British. The Rosetta Stone now resides in the British Museum in London where it has been displayed since 1802. The only break it has had was in 1917 near the end of World War I. There was concern about the heavy bombing in London and the need to keep artifacts safe. To safeguard the stone and the other antiquities, the museum moved them to the Postal Tube Railway Station fifty …show more content…
feet deep underground at Holborn. The Rosetta Stone stayed there for the following two years. The Rosetta Stone attracts millions of visitors a year to the British Museum, which provides the museum with plenty of revenue. Britain has made a claim upon ownership and control of the Rosetta Stone based upon many convincing arguments. The British argue that they came to possess the Rosetta Stone legally. They did not go to Egypt to take the stone. They got possession of the stone in the Capitulation of Alexandria that concluded the battle of the French against the British. The treaty stated “the Arabian Manuscripts, the statues, and the other collections which have been made for the French Republic, shall be considered as public property, and subject to the disposal of the generals of the combined army” (Articles of the Capitulation Proposed by Abdoullahy Jacques Francois Menou). The British also argue that London is the safest place to keep the stone. Security measures are top rate and the likelihood of violence against the museum is extremely low. According to the British, London is also the best place for people to see it because London is a very popular tourist destination, so more people will get a chance to see it. Another reason Great Britain asserts that it should keep the Rosetta Stone is that the stone was in its possession when it was deciphered and made valuable. If the stone had stayed in Egypt undiscovered then neither Thomas Young and Jean-François Champollion would have known of its existence and the secret of the hieroglyphics would have remained a secret. These are the reasons the British put forward for keeping the Rosetta Stone in Britain and not in Egypt. The British have made a strong case for the stone.
But the Egyptians have made an equally strong case. Egyptians remind us that the stone was found on Egyptian land therefore they should have the first claim. Just because they did not know it was there it was still on Egyptian property they are the ones who should have a first claim to the Rosetta Stone not the French who discovered it or the British who got it in a treaty. It is first and foremost Egyptian that is why they have a strong property claim. Another point to considered is that the stone is a part of Egyptian culture. Dr. Zahi Hawass, a famed Egyptologist, elaborates about the Rosetta Stone: “it is the icon of our Egyptian identity” (Milner and Edwardes). The Rosetta Stone is important to the Egyptians because the stele allowed for the deciphering of ancient hieroglyphics that allowed us to understand the language and learn about their mythology, their burial customs, and other aspects of the ancient culture. Egyptians dispute the legality of the Capitulation of Alexandria saying it was coerced. Napoleon was on his campaign seeking to defend French interests and weaken Britain’s access to India with soldiers who clashed against an army of Mamelukes who are members of a regime that ruled Syria and Egypt. The presence of these soldiers would have made any agreement questionable. If you are coerced to sign anything then it is not binding. As for the safety of the Rosetta Stone, the Egyptians can find donors to give
them the funds that they need to make sure the Rosetta Stone is safe and secure. Egyptian also argue that the best place to view the Rosetta Stone is Egypt. The Stone unlocked the hieroglyphs of ancient Egypt. Once visitors to the Rosetta Stone in Egypt learn about what it uncovered they would gain greater appreciation of ancient sites in Egypt. Visitors will be able to appreciate the Rosetta Stone’s significance much more immediately and tangibly. As for the ease of gaining access to the stone, globalization has made getting to Egypt easier. There are multiple flights that can get you to Egypt. These are the reasons why the Rosetta Stone should belong in Egypt and not Britain. The British claimed that they legally gained possession of the Rosetta Stone. They also argued that London is the safest and most accessible place to store and see the stone. Finally, the British argue their efforts to decipher the stone made it historically and culturally valuable. The Egyptians have offered counter arguments to the British positions. Based on all the research I have done on both sides, I strongly believe that the Rosetta Stone belongs in Egypt. The stone was found on Egyptian land and it is an iconic part of Egyptian culture. The Rosetta Stone belongs where it will be best understood and cherished -- Egypt.
Imagine that one piece of history that is taken from a town. This piece of history tells l people how this town was built and all the important people that were apart of the community. “Returning Antiquities to Their Countries of Origin” by Joyce Mortimer can many people about how objects are getting taken from Museums. They should be returned immediately. There are so many artifacts out there that could be so important to people, and if someone can just imagine what it would feel to have one of the most important object taken from a museum and to be never returned again. Many people enjoy seeing these objects so why are they being taken?
It was underneath this fortification that numerous statues of Gudea were discovered, which make up the heart of the Babylonian collection at the Louvre Museum#. Overall the statues had been damaged, some decapitated and others broken in various ways, having been put into the foundation of the new fortification. Also in this section came a mixture of fragments of basic artifacts including various objects made from bronze and stone, of high artistic excellence. Some of these objects have been dated to the earliest Sumerian period enabling historians to trace Babylonian art and it’s history to a date some hundreds years prior. Excavations in the other mound resulted in the uncovering of the remains of various buildings.
The content of this project is based on the largest and most complete megalithic structure in Europe, The Stonehenge. It resides in center of the southern England; on the wide spread Salisbury Plains. It is said to be old approximately four thousand years, and it is even considered older than the Great Pyramids of Egypt. Standing there over such a long time, it has been the subject of research and mystery in general, for a really long time. Dozens of notable scientists, emperors and others expressed their admiration and interest through different means of explorations and excavations. There have been various theories on how it was built, and what the purpose of it was, and some of them are really intriguing and interesting such. Some thought it was built as a solar-lunar calendar, some said that it had medical purposes for the giants that had built it, it was considered a ceremonial place, temple of veneration, a portal and lastly but not less important, there were some associations of Stonehenge to the aliens. The two specific theories on the Stonehenge’s importance will be discussed and summarized in this essay. First theory comes from an astronomical stand point interpreted by Mr. Chris Witcombe, and the second theory might sound unusual when said the Stonehenge represents the human vulva, and this theory is interpreted by Anthony Perks(PhD) and Darlene Bailey(BA).
The controversy began almost one hundred years ago. Between 1801 and 1812, Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin and British Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, removed several sculptures from the Parthenon in Athens and shipped them to England, where he sold them to the British Museum in 1816. 167 years later, Melina Mercouri, Greek Minister of Culture, requested that the “Elgin” Marbles be returned. This request sparked one of the greatest debates the art world has ever known. For the past two decades, people have argued over who has the rights to these Marbles. The Greek position is certainly understandable from a cultural and emotional point of view. However, from the standpoint of legality and logic, it is hard to make a solid case against the Marbles’ continued presence in Britain.
Parts of the sculptures that used to belong to the Parthenon are now residing within Britain’s Museum, and Christopher Hitchens argues that they be returned to Greece through his work entitled “The Lovely Stones.” Hitchens builds his argument by utilizing a short history of the incident and rhetorical questions.
There is an ongoing debate on whether the Parthenon Marbles, now located in London, England, should be returned to their original homeland of Athens, Greece. The marbles were removed from the Parthenon by Lord Elgin from 1801-1812 and transported to England. They were sold to the British government in 1816 and put in the British Museum where they have been for the last 200 years. I believe that the marbles should now be returned to Greece, not only because of the method and circumstances surrounding their removal, but because they are original pieces of the oldest and most symbolic structure in Greek history that epitomizes the pinnacle of Ancient Classical Greece and the beginning of western democracy through artistic ingenuity.
"Should Britain Return the Elgin Marbles?" The Week UK. N.p., 14 Feb. 2009. Web. 13 Feb.
...best case for the retention of the British Benin sculptures is to accord them the unique status they deserve as exceptional artworks and exhibit them appropriately in a prestigious national art gallery, for everyone to appreciate fully.
For years on end, countries have been fighting with big museums from other countries for ancient artifacts that belong to the original countries. The argument of whether or not the museums should be able to keep them still remains. It is the right of the country to have their own artifacts. It is imperative for countries to be able showcase their historical artifacts, therefor museums should return them to their rightful owners.
The researcher learned that the Rosetta stone is one of the most important artifacts of the Egyptians. It was written in three ancient scripts and is located at the British museum in London.
In “Whose Culture Is It, Anyway? ”, Kwame Anthony Appiah begins by pointing out that some of the museums of the world, particularly in the West, have large collections of artefacts and objects which were robbed from developing and poor countries. He then raises a question: who owns these cultural patrimony and properties? Our first answer may be that since they make up the cultural heritage of a people, they belong to the people and culture from whom they were taken. Appiah has doubt about this and argues that if some cultural artefacts are potentially valuable to all human beings, they should belong to all of humanity. He thinks that when they make contribution to world culture, they should be protected by being made available to those who would benefit from experiencing them and put into trusteeship of humanity.
The Rosetta Stone was found in a small delta village called Rashid which is known to Europeans as Rosetta. The stone is a black slab that is now called granodiorite. The stone is over a meter high, 28cm thick and weighs over three-quarters of a ton. On the face of the stone there are three scripts engraved onto it: Greek, demotic and hieroglyphs. Interestingly enough, upon translation the three scripts are found to say the same thing but with slight variations. Napoleon’s army originally found the stone but surrendered it to the British once being defeated at the Battle of the Nile by Admiral Nelson in 1801. The stone being taken during war does not give the British the right to keep it. The stone should be returned to Egypt due to simple ethical reasoning. If Britain were to hand the stone over to Egypt, this would not be the first time war spoils have been returned to their rightful owner. Agreements have been made
The mysteries of Stonehenge on the Salisbury Plains of England have perplexed human-kind since the beginning of recorded history. Some of the stones weighing as much as 40 tons were said to be transferred from Wales, which was a distance of about 137 miles. With the use of radiocarbon analysis at the site of Stonehenge it has been determined that the monument was built between 3000 and 1500 BC. The original purpose of Stonehenge has been lost in the pages of time, and therefore has been a major topic of discussion for archaeologists. Since the mid 12th century archaeologist, geologists, historians, and even some authors have put forth their own opinion of when and why Stonehenge was built. Throughout this essay I shall analyse and interpret different theories on Stonehenge in an attempt to understand what we know so far. It is in the mid 1100’s that we come across our first theory on Stonehenge, given by Geoffrey of Monmouth.
...troversy as all countries have lost, to a great or lesser extent, treasures of national renown and significance over time. Wars, theft, treasure seeking, changing boundaries and migration have all in some way contributed to this diaspora of art. There is clear evidence that the historic placing of objects in locations remote from their origin has on occasion afforded protection and preservation, The Elgin Marbles in The British Museum being a case in point. However, given the overarching principle of self determination it is difficult to argue that serendipitous historic placement is sufficient reason for items of true national heritage to be kept indefinitely. A world-wide system of touring exhibitions and cultural exchange, with context being provided by the originating society may provide the natural progression to the accessible widening of people’s experiences.
The Great pyramids of Egypt are undoubtedly one of the most recognized and admired landmarks in the world. Built to pay tribute to gods and pharaohs, the pyramids were of great importance to the Egyptians, and the mystery of their construction continues to amaze us today. Many theories pertaining to how the pyramids were built have been suggested, however, none are as well supported or intelligible as the heave-ho method of quarrying and cutting limestone. Joseph Davidovits’ theory disproving this, in which states the pyramids were moulded, is not plausible. Substantial physical evidence which is consistent with the Egyptologists’ portrayal of the heave-ho method has been found. The entire process of building a pyramid with this method is possible, as demonstrated by thorough experiments and analysis of the Egyptian culture. Indisputably, the Great Pyramids of Giza were constructed by quarrying limestone, and the use of ramps, sleds, and cutting tools, owing to the ingenuity and strength of highly organized Egyptian workers.