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J REF ID:A62852 

' 

---------

r 
REF ID:A62852 

-t 

CcntiimSD&\!i~Joar aurYq ot crntologie hietory, 

tbe perio4 ot tbe American Bevolution, 1D U.S. laiat017, 

i• naturalJ.T ot cma14arable iDHreat to us BD4 warrants 

aore tun curaoq treatmmt. A. Are J'OLl utcnial:aed to 

learn tbat the a79tema used b7 tlut American col.cmial 

forces uld 'by tl:l.e lr1t1ab. regW.ars were almoat 1dellt1calt 

You ahouldD' t 'be, because the lanp.ap 11114 'bac:Jrsroualla 

of botb were identical. In one caae, 1D tact, tbfl7 

uaed the s.. 41ct1c:ma17 u a code book; ametl:li.Dg 

wbicb was alaost ineYitaltle lMtcawse tb.ere were.so tew 

'"""" Engl.1sh 41ct1onar1ea ava1la'ble. Here'• a liat ot tlle 

~ (!ort~ o!J ayatems the7 uae4: 

a. Sillple, llODOalpbaltetic:: aubatitut1oa--eu7 

to use ~ to change. 

b. Monoalphabet1c su'bet1tut.iou with variants, 

'b1 the use of a loDc key sentence. I'll akow ;you 

present~ au 1Dtere•t1D& example ill ieDJmiD Frankl.ill'• 

ayatea ot correapOD4ence witb the el4er ~ •• 

c. 'l'be v11en\re cipher with repeatillg UJ• 

d. Traupoe1t1on cipaera ot •ill.Pl& aorta. 

e. Diot1a:aar1ea eapl0794 u codebooks, vitb 

and w1tllout a4d.e4 enciplaeraeat. 1've ~ue~ were apec1ally 

favored,~!} ~tio!'• a ~.w Spell!!I Jll1et1~~.., -'bheEthe:] Bailey'".~ti ~e of pea•• rr.-

l 






1-/ 

REF ID:A62852 

D.JI&. ~~ ~ hd-· l. 

tbe tormr. '1'o repreaent a vor4 bf code equivalent I\ 

7ou. aillpq 1D61nted tba ~ DUllber, t.llea vbetller 

Col.um l or Col.tml 2 cmtainad tu wont 7ou wanted, aD4 

the th• muiber of tbe word 1D tb.e eolum. Thuas 'l'be 

word. •3ac&et" vm14 be repre1eted. lt7 178-2-2. 

t. Sll&ll, spec1aJ.l1'A°cmg1led.Jal.phabet1e 

l•i-rt co4aa or 6oo-700 s.t .. fAD4 cede ._SJ our ol4 

friend tbe s7~~ or repert017J of bO&rJ' ol4 ap btJv . 

.....,.. new 12•••· 

I• Ori!Darl ltoou, a1iOll as Blac:Utoae!a 

tr>..~~~~~~ Ccwntart:•~ 1i•tDg""'iii ~e llllBv, the l1De D\1llter 

8D4 the letter i'lUll1Mr ill ~ line, to build. gp,_,J.etter-

'b7-letter, ~ cmpatm4 nualle.3 the word to be represented. 

'l'tLu&1 125-12·17 waul4 UJ41cate the 17tll letter in 

tile l2tb line cm paae 125; it 1dg1at lae tM letter T. 

b. Secret 1DU .. 

1. Speczial 4eaip or 1•c:mmtric tigurea, 

aw:b as me I• 11 allow you preamtq. ' p_~ ~ ~J 

· J. Yar1ou cc:mcealMDt ..-tll04a, awa aa ~~~~ o~" 

cft,, koUovtng out a bullet)~ 1Ds-1i1111 •••aaes vrtt.tm 

aa veq tlliD paper. Strtctq •peakillc, hoveyer, tJ&is 

sort Qt atra~ 4oean•t beloq \o \lie t1•1' of 

ceypt.olo&J. lu.t it•• a good 4oage, 'o M uaed 1D. 

-;~ . .; ·r\ . 

•»8C1al eases. '\ c,:_ ., __.;}" (· ~ 'I've aez:Lticmed. tat code or eGDYatiaal na.ea 

~)... • _..-med to ...,.._ tbe - ot ""'°"""'t Jlfi"•~ 

2 
REF ID:A62852 

an4 places 1D tbese American col.onial 8114 Britlab 

Apostles) fo'(' 1Data=e: 

Gelleral Wasb.1.Dgtcn waa 4'-/ I 

General Sullivan was ~hew..,- ..,_.. 

~1,t ~~t.!.~ · ~iladelpbia - Jerusalem 

)f>etroi t ... !}:exMdriA. 

"p 

Nues at B1vere /_ 

aD4 Ja7s ASUsquebenna - Jordan I 

·Red Sea 

M1acell.anecnas: - Phariseea 

' 

~\---~ f' ~·"1i ~ !>&"'- Ccagre1e • SJll8IOllU!..:-\ 

/._ /'\ He:r:e'a ve11 ta~a:pe11t1na 111W:e1 a Brittab cipller 

t 'i-Y ~~' _.,~ t message ot the villtage 1781. It was deciphered before 

. ~ , ~ ·. J t1Dd1Dg the ke71 always a neat trick when or 11' 10U 

' cu do it. ~ ;tie ke7·-the title page ot the then ~ 

·\~t Br1t1ah ~ Llstr.- .:c. ~-:... r1.~. -··' 

I'm aure 7011•ve learned •• school. children all 

about the treaac:mable cODduct ot Benedict Amol4 vheD 

' ;f P- he was idcCJ11!M114 of the American forcea at Vest Point; 

' 

but you propb~ don't lmov that pract1~ aU hie 

excbangea ot ctammieat1ana With Sir l1enr)' Clintm, 

CCP"'U'4er of the British Forces UL .America, were 1D 

cipher, or in invisible 1Dks. Ba•'• • itlbe:e&tt:aa 

ai:Me: sM>tctns !!le ot Arnold's cipher aessage•, 1D ~ 

3 





REF ID:A62852 

-:!: "~ 

~---~--~ aich be otters to 1Ye up West Point tor J.20,000., 

\o ~ ~ f"=i.;,.,r{_, ~ :r ~ a... ~ ~ A ltd 1 1 1 •*&az 1Jl mli•a tle gave tu Britba 

information vklcll Iii.pt uve led to tll.e capture ot V7-' --i1a" c~d~~f ,~-~;~Wua1~~1\ .... ~"V, ) Waat:l1qton> vu too aaart to be aabwllaed--ke went by 

"'· a route other tl:laD tbe one he aaid he'd take. 

f:~·4- Yol.\ my t1n4 ~· nex:i ei-J:te 1.ntere•ting •• 

an example of the special sort ot aak or ar1lle uaed 

by Arnold and ~7 the British in their neaotiationa 

vith him. TAe real or eip1f1caa~ text 1a written 

1n lines outlined by en D.our-glu• tigure anc1 then clu.m,y 

"Words are aupplied. to fill up the line• ao that the 

entire letter apparently llalt•H aood. aenae. To read 

the secret meaaage you're supyoaed. t.o la&Te the aaae 

size hour-glut ttcur• that waa u.ae4 to GOD4eal the 

nessfS8e. '!be ai&Di!icant text 1n tll1• exuple 1• 

;;;:Ver he 

s~i;e and terror/\. ••• e-tc.w 

Az'&Gld. evo used tae trick, aention.ed above in 

Mtlu>d j, tut •• tllite a1a1l.ar to one uaed recent.1¥ 

;;:i., rJ 

nl ~.c. 




I -

REF ID:A62852 

lev York 1D J\IDe 1957, triecl aD4 cmrlctecl, aD4 is still 

~·tw>c ill • ~ prillaa.." ....... , .. _ et 

tile 111at1 =en low auc:dd )W 1:1.iLfl •o ••• ., vtUl 

was tbe oae aD4 onq cryptologic ezpert Cangress had, 

&Del, it is claillecl, he mnaged to decipher 11ear~ 

all, if not all, ot the British code messages obtained 

ill me way or anotller by tile Amric&DS. or course, 

the chief WB.'¥ 1D vbicb ~ messages cQlld be obtained 

1D those~ YU to capture couriers, kDoc:k tbea out 

or knock them ott, BDd take the meaaagea trcm iobea. 

Tbis was Y8r'7 rough stuff, cmpared to getting the 

mterial by radio intercept, as we do DOwada.7&· 

I think 7QU 1ll be interested to bear a bit more 

a'bollt. t.bat one-man BSA. His name was Jama Lovell aD4 

besides 'beiJlg a aelt-traiDed ceyptol.cgiat, be was 

al.ao a lllm'ber ot the CcntilleDtal Caagress. 'Daere 's 

on recorcl a veey illtereatilag letter aic:b be wrote 

to Oeneral Batbaniel. GreeDe, Vitb a co.p7 to 

Oeneral. WaabiDgtan. Here it 1•. 

5 

...... 
REF ID:A62852 

Pb1la4el:p&l1a, Sept. 21., 17&:/ ~1 I 

Sir: 

You once sent acme papers to Ccmgre1a vbicb -DO ~ 

~~ · cae ab~J 1'ci.! c~.~.!.. Should aw:b be the 

... 

II I 

~ 

aase VS.th smae )"OU bave latel.1' forwar4ed I prelRUllS that 

-~ ;"".' 

the ,;esult of rq pa1Ds,, u~ sent, V1ll 1M useful 

to )'Oil· - I took the papers out of Cmagreas, 8Dd I do 

~ 

filOt thiDk it necessaq to let it be known here wbat 

111\Y success bas lJeeD in tbe attempt. ror it appears 

to me tbat tbe Er&elJ7 mtr.e ~ sw:h cbanges iD their 

!/! 

CJ»ber) when the;y meet nib miSfortune, /a• .;... ~ 

41tterence 'jf-.poa1t.10D CGl3 to the ._. ~bet.1> 

aDd tbere~ore tt DO talk of D1scoveq 1: made by...,.. ~ 

b.ere or by your Faad.11'.J;vou may- be 1D ,!JMmce to 

-::::. 

draw BeDefit this ~iBJ/ trm"' last light's 

watcb1Dg. - = 

.-I .am Sir with llllCb respect. 

Your Friend, 

account ot that 1Dterest1Dg era 1D cr.vptoJ.os1c history 

an episode I learned about ~ recent~. Wb.eJl a certa1D 

•ssaae ot one of tile generals 1D cawen« of a rather 

large force ot Colcmials emu 1Dto Clinton' a 

possession be sent it otf post baste to London tor 

6 
REF ID:A62852 

•olut1ou. ot ccurae, Clintca lmew it~ 101D1 to take 

a lot of t1M for tlle M88ap to p\ to LoadOD, 'be 

solved aD4 ret.wnecl to America--&Dd Ile wu nat.ural.13 

a bit 111pat1ent. Be felt 11.e coul.dll't attor4 to •1t 

~t lcaa· lov it )aappeDe4 tbat iD Jai• c• !Ml tllare 

were a cwple of officer& vllo fmc1e4 tbmaelvea to 

'be Cl'1l)tolog1at• and tla8)' Wldertook to •olve tile 

•••ase, a eop7 ot vbicla lla4 bem M4e before aen41Dg 

\be ori11Dal ott to Lall4m. Well, t1rie1 pve Sir BenrJ 

tlaeir aol.Ut.1m and be aoted upm S.t. 'Dae operatica 

tUZ'MCl out to be a 41-1 failure, 'beoaue the •olutica 

ot tile voal4·1Je~ta taappaacl to be quite 

wroag! ia. recor4 4oeaa•t R7 nat Clinton 414 to 

tboa• two untortUD&te crnt.elosi•t• ...._ tile correct 

solution arr1"4 trm Lm4DD ame we.a later. BJ' 

tile Dy I 7CJU. 97 'be iat8ft8ted iD J.earaiDc that tbe 

'bureau aa ear}¥ aa 1D tile 19ar 1630 u4 1t cont1Due4 

to operate uat.U tu end ot ~ ~. '?MD tiler• vu 

no such eataltl1a11Mnt mtll World War I. I vi.ab there 

. ~~time to tell 7ou acme of the 4et&Ua ot tbat tuc:iDat:Uli 

'---~-"' 

aD4 little kDowD 'bit ot :lr1tlab b111t0Z7. 

'Dlere '• al.ao ma ep1•o4e I learned. about o.Dl1' very 

recentq, Wbicb 1• •o _.1DI I oupt to alaare it 

Vlth 7011. It ••- tbat a certain Britlaa secret 

7 
.. ·-

-. 

REF ID:A62852 

ageat tD America wa• HDt a •••ace ua plam 1Dsl1alt, 

g1Y1Di Ilia :lmtnic,icaa trm 11.1• superlcr. J.lt ~ 

poor fellow vu illiterate 8D4 tllere wun't mvtbiDs 

to 4o but call up~ tJae aoo4 offices ot a triad to. 

read 1t to kia. Re toml4 sucb a friend, vbo read·hill 

hiB 1Dat#1ona. lftaat be 41dll't knov1 hovef'er, WU 

tbat tl:ae fr1en4 Vbo'4 laelpe4 hill vu me of General 

Wuh1Dgtou'a ~ecret apAta! , 

~(f .,);4) Tile next -al:t"' . .Jr. a picture of ane ot aenral 

"' a7llabar1ea uaed 1)7 !Dimas Jetf'eracn. It 1• ccmstructd 

oa tt&e ao-called two•part ~1DC1ple wtlL1clt. was ex:plauie4 

- ~~9~ 1D tile prececlUlg lecture. ~ 1s a portion ot -tu 

9b - encodtng section, amt ~N'• a portion of tbe 4eco41Dg 

section, iD vbicil tile code equ1val.eata are 1D 

D"UMrical orier acccapan1e4 w 'their ••1D&I u 

'aasigDed tbea :La. tu aco41Dg section. 'lla1• aort ot 

ayatea, vbich, aa I've already explaiDed, wu quite 

Italian cr1Ptograplv, ia atill 1n extenaive u•e 1D 

sme parta of the vorld.. Jefteracn waa an aJJ.-arOUDd 

. geniua, amt I shall bave somat~ing to •&7 abmt 111'1. 

amt crntocrapq 1D a subsequent lec;:ture. 

A few llS.Dutes ago I •Dticned BeaJaaiD l'rankl.1D' s 

.cipher S)'Bt•, vhicll, if uaed to4Ay, waul.6 'M 41fficult 

to solve, espec1~ 1t tlaere were ~ a nall amount 

ot traffic 1D it. Let• allow J'CM what it was. 

8 
. 

• > 

...... _ ... __ . -

REF ID:A62852 

franklin took a ratMr ~ JUHge traa acme book 

n'Ullber• tllea beeame equ1TaleDts tor tile •-letters 

1D a: •asap to be amt. Because. tJae ke7 pas•aae 

was ta goo4 Frencll., aat\ll"alq there were 9BD7 variaDts 

tor tile letter .B-·iD tact, there were u ...,- u oae 

WCN.14 u.pect 1D normal plaiD.-text l'reDc:k; tile 8-

appl1ed to ti.le other ll1P·fr•fl'leDC7 lettera 'auch as 

R, B, S, I, ate. Wbat tali• MaBS, ot ccmrae, ia ;tllat 

the laip•fretume7 letter• 1D tbe pla1D text ot. U7 

~aaege to be, euciplaeretl coul.4 be repreaentecl b7 ~ 

4U'terent DUllbera 8114 a aol11t1cm cm tile llul• of 

'by tu presence ot 9D7 .,!..Bl'iaDt values for tlle aaae 

~ r~~.l'O pla1B•tezt letter. ~"Pl caa 'aee tkia ye-q elearl.J. 

I kDov ot but me case .in all oar U.S. ~Ol7' 

1D wbieh a reaoluticm ot Ccmgreaa vaa pu\ out 1D 

tt ~ i.0 ~ ..v.. f''-'l. II - ~1 CJ:rPtOll'apb1c fOftl, RWe'• a •MM vlaie6.·~-- tt•• 

'a reaolu.tiOD ot tbe ReYOlu.tionaey Congreaa d&tecl 

1.,..;J:;-~ 

8 ~ i1&i. 

ca... e.o~ ";}.e-,.. "f.... ~ 

~ ~?::~Ji" :'d.:.,~ ......t.....0.. 

c.a-. 

.... "-"h ~ ~~ • 

Jatarest 1D crnt'ol011 1ii .America ··-to baye . 

41e4 vitll tile paa•ill& er Jefferson ... •11Bkl1D. But 

if 1Dterest 1D crn1'ology 1a AmeriOa VUD 1t Yflr7 ge&t, 

lt 1t- utated at all after tale Bevolutt.ca, t-111• vu I 

not 1ihe c:ase 1D &u-ope. Books on tM sultJect were 

.wr1ttea, not b;r protesaionala, per.U,•, lN't 'b;y learned 

9 
REF ID:A62852 

.. teura, aD4 I tb1Dk :you will tiDd acme ot tbea 1D 

the BSA librfU7 ~ _xau•re 1Dter!8te4 in tbe ~•tOl'7 . 

~~ ... ~~~~er-.~~ ot the aciem:e. BIN._.. 'tbe fl wt1eplece ot a h 

book tbe title of vhicb % *•a,ei9tlil-ae "COUDter• ' ~~·-4~-· 

eapicmase, or 1r.eJs t• all secret aBN.,flBi'IM•·" . ~ ~ e~1~. vx , ... _~= 

It vu publ111becl ill Paris ill 1793· Bl:a's Dr. CrwP1 

ht.elf, aD4 ,....,.._ perbaps a breadboard aodel ot a 

os-u research ~t, or -.ybe Bil earq model ot 

a WAC. 

lam going to take a bit or time now to tell Joa. 

ameth1Dg about lgptiaD h1eroglnb1ca, not onl.y 

because I tbiDk tbat tbat repreamt• the next -BD4 

a great/\1an4mark - 1D the history ot crntolO&J, "' but 

also because the at017 ia ot pneral 1Dternt to 

arq aspiring cqptologiat. About l.821 a :rreacbmn, 

C:ballpoll1on, atartlacl the \II' •lad IS vorl4 b7 

beg1DD1Dg to publi•h translaticma ot lgpt1an h1eroglnh1cs, although 1D the budding new field ot 

l 

~ 

EQptology mcb ha4 &lrea4J' transpired an4 been pl1bl1shecl. 

~ f".A_. ·~ we. AU:- """' K~ I •t 1:-• 'r~tt1:tWl-iill the gentlelleD aD4,.._11t11 a'8. a picture 

ot the great Napoleonic tiDcl tbat certailll1' facilitated 

and perbaps made posaible the solution ot the 

F.gptian hierogJ.nbic writiD&--tbe Rosetta Stone.,. 

:::μ_..._ R...on.~~~- ~·1.ri -a. 

~tflA was found ill 1799 at Ra&bid, er, u tile lm'opeaus 

call it, Rosetta, a town ill DortherD Egypt OD tbe 

vest bBDk of tbe Rosetta brallCb of the BUe. Rosetta 

was 1D the v101Dit7 of lapolem'a operat1DDB whicb 

endecl 1D disaster and wbeD the peace treaty vaa writteD 

lO 

. / j.A)/ 
' .. 

REF ID:A62852 

aipitieanee ot which vaa quickl.J wu\era\oot l>y both 

the cODquered. French and v1ctorioua ~itiaa c0111Dndera, 

lMt alllipped to London, togetlaer with certa1n otber 

large utiquitiea. 'lb.e Rosetta Stone still occupies 

a prominent place in tke illportant exb.ibita at the 

British Museua. The Roeetta Stone ie a bi-lJ.Daual 

tnaeription, because it is 1n EoptiaD and &l.ao Greek. 

The B:Qptian portion consist• of tvo parta, \H upper 

me 1D ~1•roal1Paic fora, tlMt lover oue in a sort of 

eur•ive script, alao W BsYPtiu but call .. "Demotic." 

It we.a soon realised that all three texta were 

auppoaed to &&J' the 1aae tiling, or COllrae, and ai.Dce 

the Greek coul4 eu1~ be read it 1erved u what 1D 

luckT enouak- to tf.Dd a crib it ••~•• .rou hours ot work. 

It wu by mea11a of tl:aia 'bi-11.Dgual iucription that 

a teat waicll repraallJ'lt!!d ue aucce11atu.l aoluticm 

to a problea tae maJor part or waica was li.Dgu.1at1c 

1D caaracter. TH cr;ypteaal.7t1c part of tbe tuk was 

relative~ aimpl.e. Nevertll.elea•, I ta1Dk tlaat anycme 

who aspire• to 'Meeme a proteaaiOD&l cryptologiat sb.ould 

have some idea u to waat that cryptaiia~ic teat 

was, a teat aich aom proteeaor--but not of Or)"Pto.loa1c 

science, I tl:liDk it waa Professor liorbert Wisner, or 

ll 
REF ID:A62852 

tile Masaachusetta lnatitute of Teclanol0a7--aa14 was 

tile greatest Cl")'Ptualytic feat. 1D biat017. We •Ju.11 

see how wroag tae aood profesaor wa•, 'because I'• 

soiD& to clemonatrate Just wbat tbe teat really 

amounted to by shoving you some aillple pictures. 

First, let • rea1Dd 1'0\1 that tbe Greek text 

served as an excellent crib tor tile ao1ution of 

both Egyptian texts, tu b1erogl1Ph1e and tae 

lleaotic, the latter •rely 'bein8 the cc:cventional 

abbreviated and aodified fora of tb.e Hieratic character 

or cursive fora ot hieroallPAic writing tllat was 1n 

use in tb.e Ptolemaic Period. 

Tbe initial step was taken by a Reverend 

Stephen Weston who made a translation of the Greek 

tnscription vtlica Re read 1n a paper delivered 'betore 

the Lcmdon Soo.iet,- ot Ant1quar1ea in April l.8o2. 

In 1818 Dr. 'llacmas Youug, tb.e pkysiciat who first 

propoaed the wave tbeory of light, ccapiled for the 

a/ 

4th voluae of ~~i!L,Br.~!8Jm1£!, published 1D 

1819, the results of AiB 11tudiea on the Rosatta Staie 

and among thea there vaa a list of several. alpl:aabetio 

Egyptian characters to vaica, in aost cases, Jae had 

&&fil1gUed correct Yal.ues. He was tae first to grasR 

tile idea ot a pl!.onetic principle in the Egyptian 

hierogl.yph$-:and he was the first to apply it to their 
REF ID:A62852 

dec1p!aerllent. He alao prOftd. aomthing wlaicll other• 

bad cmly auapected, namely, that tu hiercsl1Phs 1D 

OTale or aartCNChee were royal namea. But Young'• 41!~~ 

nue 1• not a•aociated ill. public mind With the decipher11e11t /'. 

of F.gyptian hier~bica--that or Cballpollion 1• 

very aucb ao. Yet much ot what Challpollion d.14 was 

bNed apon Young's work. Perupa the greateat credit 

1b.ould go to Chupollion tor racopuing tbe •Jor 

illportance ot an ancient language mown a• Coptic ae 

a bridge that coul.4 lead. tc the decipherment ot tbe 

F.gptian hierogl.Jphica. Aa a lad ot 1even he'd Ede 

up Ilia aind tlaat be!d solve the hier~lnJhia writing 

and. 1D the early years ot the 19th Centur7 be began 

to study Coptic. ID hie atudiea ot the Roaetta Stone 

hi• knowledge ot Coptic, a language the lmovl.edge 

ot vh1ch bad never been l08t, enabled l:ata to deduce 

the phoneti~ value ot many a;yllabic aigne, and to 

assign correct read1Dp to any pictorial character•, 

the aeaninga of which becaae known to hill troa the 

Greek text on the Stone • 

The following atep-b7-1tep account of tile aol.ution 

is taken trca a little brochure entitled The Rosetta 

Steine, published by the Trustees of the Britiah Muaeua. 

It we.a written in 1922 by E. A. Wallis Budge and vu 

revised in 1950. I quote: 

13 
J 

I ,,. 

REF ID:A62852 

"The method 'b7 1th1ah the areater part of the 

F.gyptian alpha.Mt vu reccwered 1e this : It vu u•umd 

correctly that the ORl , or "'cartouche" u it 

is called, alva79 coot&ined a rol&l na.. 'lbere 1• 

only Qlle cartouche (repeated •ix times with •light 

aodificatiODe) on the Roaetta Stone, an4 tbta waa 

uallMd. to ccntain the name ot Ptoleay, becauae it vu 

certain from the Greek text that the inaaription 

concerned a ptol.ell;y. It vu al.so aaaWled that if tbe 

cartouche 414 contain the nama of Ptoleat, the character• 

ill it voul.4 have tbe •OUD4• ot the Greek letters, and 

that all together they vcul4 represent the Greek tora 

ot the name of Ptole117. ·OV on the obeliak which 

a certain Mr. 'B&Dke• ha4 broqht trm Pbilae there 

vaa &lac an inacript1on in two languapa, F.Qptian 

an4 Greek. ID the Greek portion of tt two r07&l 

D&Me are mntioned, that ia to •&T, Ptolemy and 

Cleopatra, an4 on the seoond tace ot the obeliek there 

are two oartoucbea, which oocur cloee together, an4 

are filled •1th hieroal.Jpha which, it vaa aaeuaed, 

f0l'll9d the ~ian equivalent• ot tbeae naaea. When 

theee cartwchea hr• cc:apared vitb the cartouabe on 

the Roaett.a Stone 1t vu tound that one ot them contained 

hierogln)hic obaractere \bat were alaoat identical ¥1.th 

thoae vhiob tilled the cartouche an the Roaetta Stooe. 

Thu.a there vaa good. reuon to believe tbat the cartou.cbe 

on the Rosetta Stone ccmta1ne4 the nau ot Ptoleay 
. . 

;/_, 

c.;-7 I 

/111 /' 

---/ 

REF ID:A628S2-

written in b1erctl1Phic csbaracter•. The f01"98 of the 

cartouohea are u toUon: 

On the Rosetta Stone 

ODf the Obelisk traa Plilae 

In the aecand of these cartcuche1 this •in&le sign 

'r::;:.:\ ' 

<7ei:M ~ =«W) take• the :place of tbeae three e igna 

- A )'; ·~- {J~ 'toe 93Ut) at the •D4 ot the tirat cartouche. 

Nov it baa alrea41 been •aid tbat the nae ot Cleopatra 

-vu found in Greek OD the Pb1lae Obelisk, an4 the 

cartouche which vaa uauae4 to contain the F.&J:ptian 

equivalent to th1a DUl9 appears in thie tonu 

Taking the Cartoucbee vbich ¥ere auppoaed to ccmtatn 

' ' 

the names of Ftol.e'a1 and Cleopatra trca the PhUM 

Obelisk, and n\lllbering the a tans we uve i 

ptole117, A. 

Cleopatra, :S. 

Now we see at a glance that No. l 1D. A an4 No. 5 are 

identical, and Judging by their position only in the 

names they aiat repreaent the letter P. No. 4 

1n A and No. 2 in B are identical, and arguing aa 

betore troa their poetuon ... ther 918t represent the 

/ 

letter L. As L is tbe eec&nd letter 1n tb.e name ot 

Cleopatra, the aign No. 1 :El 1 ht\) mat repreeent K. 

Now in ,the cartouche ot Cleopatr/ve' .know the value• 

of 81gne Noa. l, 2 and 5, ao ve ~write thea down thua: 

,15 
. . REF ID:A62852 

In tbe Greek tora ot the nue ot Cleopatra tMN ~ 

two Towell between ille L IUl4 the P, an4 1D the hieroglnh1c tor11 there are two biercsinaa, thia (ii'_,. 

and tbu &1 ·~ ' '), ao ve 9.7 uaum that ~'~ ia 

"t4 ~t':.t: I . E ancl ~t ll aae 1• O. In &Cll8 toru ot the cartwche 

ot Cleopatra )No. 7 ~the ~)is replaced by a hal.f' 

ctrcle, which 1• identical with No. 2 1D A and No. 10 

in B. Aa T 1'ollon P 1n the nue Ptol.a.7, and ae 

~ 

there 1• • T 1n the Greek fora or the !l.Ule or Cleopatra, 

1f8 •7 ueume that the halt circle &D4 the band have 

aubatantially the saae soun4, and that that aound 1• 

T. In the Greek tora of the name Cleopatra there 

are tvo ~ '•, th• poait1ona ot which aaree vi th No. 6 :::;,.. 

and No. 9, an4 ve •7 UB\IM that th• 'bird bu the 

value or A. Bultat1tut1D& tbe•e Yaluea for the hiero- I 

&lYPb.8 1D B ve •1' write it thus: 

o.~~~ 

ThCM& Youns noticed that t~ two eipa al.va79 

followed the ~ of a goddeaa, or queen, or p:rinceas,, 

~ ~her early decipherer• reprd.ed the two 

§ 

signs as a Mr• t•1n1De teraination. The only aign 

tor which va baY• no pbonetic equivalent 1a No. 8, 

tba lena, am\ 1t 1• obY10WI that thi• aut repreaent 

R. Insert iJlg thia nJ.ue 1n the cartOll.Cbe ve have tb.e 

nae of Cleopatra deciphered. App~ing nov the value• 

which we hana learned trcm the cartouche ot Cleopatra 

16 
REF ID:A62852 

'· I to the cartOllcbe ot Ptol~ we •1 vr1te it thua: 

/ 

We now aee that the c&rtouche llU8t be that or PtoleJIJ, 

but it is also clear that there auat be ccmta1ne4 in 

it aany other biercsl1Pha which do not tora part of 

bu nae. other fora ot the cartouobe ot Ftola,y 

are tO\Uld, even on the atone, the •illfl••t ot thea 

written thus: 

It ttaa there· 

fore evident that theee other aigna 

were roJ&l title• corresponding to those f0Wl4 1D the 

Greek text. on the Roaetta Stone Man1ng "ever-living, 

beloved of ?tab." Nov tba Greek fora ot the _.. 

ptol.eJIT, 1. e . Ptol.ema ioa , en4a Yi th S. We ~ aaau11e 

therefore tbat the l.Bllt .sJ!JI, tlle aillpleat fora 

ot the cartcuche gben aboYe baa the phc:.met1o nlue 

r--

ot S. , The onq hierogl.nha ncv 4wbttul are bttt111)• ~1: f 

and~, and their poait1m in tbe ll9M or ?toln,y 

suepata that their phmetic value• auat be M and 

acme vowel aound 1D which the I a cunt predcm1natn. 

Theae value•, vhiah were arriftd at l>7 au•••iD& and 

deduction, were applie4 by the early 4ecipllerer• to 

other cartouchea, e.g.i 

~ov, in No. l, we can at once write 4ovn the Y&luea 

ot all the siglla, viz., P. I. L.A. T. R. A, which 

17 

/ 
. . REF ID:A62852 

1• obv1oulf the Greek a.at Ph1lotera. In No. 2 ve 

mow ~ ecm of the bi•rcgl.nhl, amt we write the 

cartouobe thus s Gv- ;~'!/-) It vaa 

known that the running-water eijD1\occura 1n the llaM \ 

'' . ...-1"- r ~-.;;1'51.l '1 ,,;• 

nenn1ce, and that. it repn•enta t'' an4 that tb.1• •igo /\ 

U the last vw4 of th• tranacript of t.be Greek title 

.Jlaita.roe," uct. tbel"etore repruente acme 8 ac:\:1114. 

Scae ot the toru ot tile oartouobe ot Cleopatra begin 

Yith ..(t'1 Ii• it.-)', and i:t ta oleu that its phmetio 

value au.It be -K. IDllerting these nJ.uea in tba uon 

oartouohe V9 have: 

which 1• cl~arly 1ln1l't to repl"esent the nw. .. Almo4roa, '' 

11 

or Aiexander. 'lb.• :poa1t1on of th!• •ip (»cttat) abova 

that tt repreaente« acme sound ot I or A .. 

Well, I'Ye •bond )'O\l enCNgh to ua :tairl3' cl.ear 

vbat the problea waa and. bow it vu aolft4. 

'l'bat •a the ft7 in which the in1t1&1 'Weak vu u4e 

1n the deoipberllent ot Ean>tian b1er~b1e•~ f.114, 

as 10l1 ay &lreaAJ' have ptbere4, the crntaaal.)'111• 

•• of a ttery •..,14 variety. It vu TerJ' tor{tfoate 

tbat the first attacb on FQptain bi•ra&J.nbica 4icla't 

have to 4ul Yith enciPiencl vr1tilla. lea, tbe 

Egnttau aleo wad ornt~~hTJ there an "ceyptcgrapbie '- 'S· -~ hierccJnhioa~" Bare,l\tor iuatuce, ia an --.ple ot 

l.8 

... _ 
• • 

• 

REF ID-:A62852 

1U.tit\&iim./\• t 1ts11:1t1t trpt&ac., tit .. •• 

,......~ ••• .a..~ 

:a.tare le•Yinc tM •t0l'7 ot ~oll10D'• .. te17 

ot. Bgpt.ilm bierQllnlltc vrttiD& l '1liDk I ahCNl.4 

re.-.ct tor )'Ou aa M#t I ou ill word• 'lbat be 414 

'tfbU be felt u·•4 rol.q reacU4 the aobl\ii;a to the 

..,.teey. I'll pretao• it 'b:r reoallt.Dg to 70\l what 

ANlli-4•• ie au.aea tt) baY• done vben u •al•-' a 

prob1- b.e'4 been .Rrvalinl Witll. fora acme t19e. 

ArchiMte• vu •~Ol'inl \be »lAu•••- ot bu ._th 

an4 wu .tuat •wntna ovt ot tu pool nen tbe 101.uttmi 

ot the problea cam to bill like a fl.uh. Be,,.. .o 

ontr.1ort4 that he ran, natM tbrou&b tbe atneta 

ahouting "Evelm! I'n fount 1t, I'Ye twnl it." J. / f 

Well, U.krit••, wbell 10UDI ChulJoUica me dq bad 

conclude4 b.•'4 101..a tbe 1Ptet7 ot tu Bu»ttan 

h'lffCCl.1ph1aa, be Ht CNt m a qu1ak .U. run to 

the bu114ing where hil ia~ brother 1'0rad, at•le4 

tnto bu br"'1ler '• otttce, •houte4: nJaaeu, I 1ve 

got it! u' an4 noppecl 4cnm to the floor 1D • tranoe 

tdlere he 1• Aid to ban r.-inecl imobil.e aa4 

camphtel.1 a.rt tor f'1ve cla7a· l>an't let tbat. •art ot 

thin& baneJ1 to TW &TOUIM! Mr• vtaen and. if' )"Oil tiJMt 

the answer to a Ctllflell pre1t1.a. The ohar toroe vtll 

pro1-bl.T •WMJ :rou. up an4 tbl"ow ,_ into ti. aeoret 

19 
,.._. .I 

1 

?/ 

_, J 

' 

I ,· r 

' 

.. · REF ID: A62 852 

.. ··- ') 

···-

.... , " .• 

l oouJ.4a•t leav• ta1a lltiet' •\917 of ~ arntaal.rt1C Jkal••. et ~ •o~_,iaa ot ._. lcn-1aa atero-

&11Pb1c wri:uaa ¥1~ telliq 1W tb&t ~ raa1D 

pi.at;, ot other aorts ot vrtts.np wkiea •~ ct 1ou 

my vaat to tq 70fU' bull at 4eei:pher111& wben 7Cll 'ft 

l~e4 aQM ot the principle• aa4 prjce4ve• ot the 

aciience ot c:eyptol.Ga;y~ A list of \llua•fU" ~ 

vrit1ap vu draw 19 tor • ~1 Professor Alla C. Rosa 

-~/. ' 

·o/ 

ot Lcm4on m11verait7 111 1~5 ed. ~ 19 or tll•a~ StaH !..! I 

1~5 ODl.)" t~o ~"· •·4eo1Jbere4, Minom ~ "l-1 

-4 x.tnee.r B vritiDg. nae Jluter Ialan4 vr1uns i• 

said to laav• ~ .reactll' 'Mea aolve4, lN.' I'• not 

sure ot t.bat. Tllere are •aM, ~ Just- a ftr7 few, 

ldlo think tbe l\1_.oeJ.nlli• vritiD& ot tlae Ancient 

llaJa Iad.ians ot Central. AMriea ~tall aem, 'bat I 

, 

SbCRlld. 8111' ot 7"" be perauadecl to t••'tle · &QT ot 

the. a\iill UDhciplaer~ vri·Uugs 1D t1'e ll•t drawn 

up by Protefaor lkl••, 'be •ure )'OU l:aa.ve a •tben~ie 

cue at a· UD4e~1.Jhere4 ianaua&• 'betOJ'e 7CN. ~ AA 

one that vaa written CD a :par~t, lmRD u the 

1114111.pn Pap)'l'U.8. It laa4 Mtfle4 certa1a au.ants 

wi.o had a Jmovledp of Jrgyptol.CQ wbo atteapte4 to_ 

read it oa tale tb.e017 tbat it vu eGM •ert et 

variatiOD-a much later .ll041t1catiaa-et SOP*ian 

b1ercslnh1c wr1t1D&. a. .. ol.4 ellapa pve it up u 


.. . 

~/ -, ' 

REF ID:A62852 

a H4 Job. Not too~ years aao 1t ceae to the attention 

or a ;rmmg man wbo knew veey little abo\lt f.opt1ea 

h1eroglypb.1cs. He eaw it onl3 as a •imple substitution 

cipher on sane old J.Uguage. He tackled tbe Michiaan 

Papyrus OD-that basis and solved it. He t0\1114 the 

language to be earl.1 Greek. Ancl wb&t was the pirport 

of the writiqt Well, it was a wondertul. old Greek 

beauticiaD'a secret t~ tor further beautifying 

lov'~ - -rt1••---.:fte the batlliDfl beallti•• 

of those d.a7a • 

---->" 

There is one person I should 11ent10D.l~tore 

~ ecmt.Dg 

to the period ot the Civil Wary or, H •;aa pe~l.e 

pzefair te--0·11 ''' ~-,..,. l'nea, tn 

,,--

th &:-w.lttst~ 'i"z refer bere to Edgar Al1aD Poe, vbo 

111 l.842 or tberea\>out..s, kindled an interest 1n ca17Ptograpby 

~ tA.4 ~'-'t ~oP.iwo.J;. in newapapera ud Journals of the period. for bie A • 

~ 

day he was certainl1' the aat 1.nf ormad penoa in ~ 

~ of ~ OD c:cyptologic matters outside At.he re&U}.ar J 

employees of Government clep.artaents 1.utere•ted 1D the 

subJect, aD4 in s8T1Dg this I am asBUmiQg tbat Cr)'Ptoloa1' 

Wfi ~sed tie a 11aH•t cs s, t by O\it ~t ot State 

for ~1Ca~1Dg witb 81lbaaaadorB and CQUSuJ.s. &Woad.. if.> O L '__. 

1 ' o........a ~ ~ i{o,_"°,.,,,-~ 

I suppose ~t tb.e. 8lld Na-z used cod••"but 

1 - D- .J 

t(..,_ M~- v:i o....~ · \1',4,,.,;,_"'~-~:- ,..;_,~~ S ~ k~ ~ 

I ter;-.::mtm-l""li ftW ) ()9 

IJXallphrit fir' thee., / 

2l 
. . 

'I 

REF ID:A62852 

To return to Poe, one of wr earq columnists, 

there's an incident I'd like to tell you abwt 1n 

connection with a challenge he printed 1D one ot his 

colulllls, 1D which he offered to solve ea, cipher 

submitted bf hia readers. He placed sc:ee Ua1tat1ons 

on bis cb.alleup, which aaounted to this••thJ.t tbe 

cball•nge messages abou.ld involve b\lt a single 

alphabet ,'W'l-• m tmlle. ~ a later article Poe tells 

about the mmeroua cballeqe meaaagea aent him and 

says: "Out ot perhaps 100 ciphers altogether received, 

there was only ODe which ve 414 not 1-ediateq 

succeed 1n reaolving. 'l'bia one we deaomtrate4 to 

be an 1Jl.pos1t1on--tbat 1a to &&71 ve ~proved it 

a Jargon of rand.cs character•, b&Ving DO aeaning 

vbatever." I w'lih. that cipher had been preserved tor 

posterity, 'because it would be interesting to see l\=-~-

'Q)' ;,(1-.f:; 12,o 

wbat there was about it that warranted Poe to. 1 1.Jtni 

that "we tully proved it a Jaraon oa rall4cm characters." 

Ma1be 1•a not warranted 1D aayiDg ot this episode 

that Poe rem1nd,a ae ot a ditty eung b;y a cbaract.er 

in a p~ put OD bJ' some UD4erp-a4uatea of one ot the . J~ : ~ 

. '* ~ "'~t-t&~ ~~ w.. F r~c .~ colleges of Cambridge UDivera1ty 1D in&Jand. A~is • ... ::.; !'" ,, / 

charac.ter steps to the trOllt ot tbe staae aD4 •1Dgs: 

"I aa the Master of the Collep, 

What I don't lmow ain't lmowlAldge." 

22 

,, 

' 

REF ID:A62852 . - . ~~~ 

Thus, Poe. Wbat be coul.4n't solve>"-vuntt a real cipher--

a veey easy <Nt for any crntolog1at up against amaeth1Dg 

~ 

toggb.. 

E:»< ?:: • a.d-o-~ This ccapletea the third lecture a this series. 

ID tile next one we aball cane to tbat interesting period 

1D Cl"1J)tolog1c bist017 :lD vhilltb cedes an4 cipher•· were 

used 1D this count17 Sn the War ot the Rebellion, 

the Wat/ Between the States, the Civil We.r--7"'1 use 7our 

own pet 4esigaaticm for tbat terrible ad costq strusgle. 

23 

--------- -

' '