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United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) defines cultural property as “objects that have artistic, ethnographic, archaeological, or historical value" . Repatriation means, “to restore or return to the country of origin, allegiance, or citizenship” . The Rosetta Stone was discovered in 1799, during an expedition led by Napoleon Bonaparte. The French maintained ownership until 1801, when the English defeated France.  At this time, the Stone was given to the English and since then, has been in display at the British Museum in London.  There have been many proponents of repatriation of the Rosetta Stone, but most notable is Dr. Zahi Hawass, the former Egyptian Minister of Antiquities and Director of Excavations.  He has vehemently demanded the return of many Egyptian antiquities including the Rosetta Stone.

In 1799, soldiers in Napoleon’s army discovered the Rosetta Stone in the town of El- Rashid in Egypt. It is 112 centimeters tall, 76 centimeters wide, and 28 centimeters thick, and dates back to 196 BC. It is inscribed with a royal decree affirming the rule of Ptolemy V. The reason for its significance is because it shows the decree written in Hieroglyphics, Demotic, and Greek. Hieroglyphics was used by priests to issue decrees, Demotic was the vernacular, and Greek was used for administration. Near the latter part of the fourth century AD, knowledge of Hieroglyphics was lost due to lack of usage. The Rosetta Stone was crucial in understanding the script of the Ancient Egyptians, because it allowed scholars to use the Greek inscription to understand the Hieroglyphics text. Due to their newfound ability to decipher Hieroglyphics, scholars were able to discover the rituals and traditions underlying the foundations of Ancient Egyptian civilization. This stone is the link between current civilization and Ancient Egypt. Without this crucial object, it would not be possible to decipher the script and culture of the Ancient Egyptians. Its value and significance in comprehending Ancient Egypt is the reason Egypt continues to demand its repatriation.