The weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1869-18??, 1869-09-01
Yor the Standard
Rosetta Stone.

~
Rosetta Stone.
An object of interest has been placed in
the Library of the University, fac-simile
cast in plaster of the famous Rosetta stone,
of the British Museum. ,.,a -
Il will be remembered that this stone,
which was f5tfGd In the year 1900, at Roset-
ia in Egypt, bears on It's faee an inscription
in three alphabets, VIZ: the Greek, the De
motto or Enchorial and the HiTogiypliic.
Soon after its discovery an engraving OF it
was published which led to much study and
discussion amoiig tkJ learned men, till the
French scholar, Champdtlio5, obtained from
it the key to read the before undeSiphered
hieroglyphics of Egypt. sgitea ~ 5Gi r
The inscription is in honor of Ptolemy
Fifth Epiphanes, who began to reign, B. c.,
1893. ~ estt :, .s-.,, 80.
An account Of the progress of Champol-
lions discovery and its results, especially
the advantages which it Offers to sacred crit
icism, is given in book by J. g. Fl: GTep-
20, Vicar General of Belley. Greppo titus
explains the first steps of the investigation,
it being promised that the Greek inscription
itself declares that it was to be engraved sin
Sacred, in Enchorial and in Greek letters.r
'm the Greek text of the decree thename
of Ptolemy often occurred, and many other
praper names which were foreign to the
Egyptian language. So in the hieroglyphic
inscription, a group Of signs were observed
to be frequently repeated, which were con-
tained in the ovals or rings called cdrt0uches.
By the last mark of distinction, as well as
by its relative position in the text, the hier-
oglyphic group appeared to correspond with
the name of Ptolemy in the Greek inscrip-
tion. 1t might then be supposed with very
great probability, that the sign clustered in
the ring or cartouche, expressed psonetically
the name of this prince; and this conjecture
led to the expectation, that in decomposing
the group to which such signifcation was
attributed, some of those first elements of
alphabetic writing which were sought might
.be found. '" 'l 'I~ '.I '+
Champollion proceeded to analyse the
hieroglyphic group which he supposed to
designate the name of Ptolemy; and noting
each of the signs which composed it, he be-
lieved that he recognized signs which were
the equivalents of the letters P T. o. L. M.
E.S. 1t was impossible to mistake the
name of Ptolemy, from which the first DIFF
lClCQ Ouly UJ 10 lCillludtiuli, huo Niil u uitsi
ner common to all writings in the Shemi-
tish languages) by the suppression of its me-
dial vowels." .s5 VI ,..fs q s..1
Soon afterwards Champollion came across
another hieroglyphic inscription on an
Egyptian obelisk, containing besides the
same name of Ptolemy, another which prov
ed to be Cleopatra. From this beginning
the whole system was laid open and the re-
cords have been disciphered on many stones
and papyri, throwing flood of light on the
history of ancient Egypt 'fI 9'i mai aI
Plaster copies of the Rosetta stone are to
be seen not unfrequently in this country, as
at Yale, at Williams, and at Lafayette Col
lege in Pennsylvania. At the last named
institution some students, about ten years
ago, published brilliantly oruamented vol
ume on the inscription.
The University Library has received do
nations of some fifty volumes during the
vacation. 1t proposed to make it more ac-
cessible to the students than it has been
heretofore. Any gifts, especially such as il
lustrate the history of our State, will be
thankfully received and acknowledged.
D. .
CHAPEL HILL August 81, 1868.