The Rosetta Stone is one of the most valuable pieces of art that is dated back to 196 BC. The Rosetta stone was discovered in 1799 by Napoleon’s French troops in present day Rashid, Egypt. The troops quickly realized its high value and it was taken to France, where it was examined by Thomas Young and Jean-Francois Champollion. Young and Champollion were two of the first people to decipher the ancient Egypt hieroglyphs by using the, “texts carved upon it… written in three languages: ancient hieroglyphics, Demotic and classical Greek” (“Should the British Museum Return the Rosetta Stone?”), which led to the understanding of the lost ancient Egyptian language and culture that died out in the 5th century. In 1801, the Rosetta Stone fell into the
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But, Britain obtained the stone in a legal matter, so legally Britain should have the stone. Both countries have viable arguments on where the stone belongs, though Britain’s argument is stronger than Egypt’s. Egypt has no legal right to the Rosetta Stone and in today’s world legal rights outweighs ethical rights, and for them to demand and threaten that Britain hands it over is absurd. Egypt does not have a rightful position to demand the stone back, and for them to think that they can pay off Britain with a replica is ignorant. If Britain was to return the Rosetta Stone, it would not be long until Egypt and other countries would assume that they can demand other artwork back and soon the British Museum would be “raped” from their prized jewels that they have been protecting and displaying for many years. Britain has had possession over the stone for over two centuries; they have studied the stone and made is possible for millions of people to view and learn about its importance in the British Museum. I do not agree with people looting and stealing other countries artifacts, and unfortunately Egypt has lost many treasures over the years to other countries. But if the Rosetta Stone was never discovered by the French Troops, would we have been able to discover and learn about the lost ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs? It may have been possible that at a later date we could have come to the same conclusion but at that point in time France and Britain were more developed and stable countries than Egypt, and had the available resources to discover the importance of the
But, Britain obtained the stone in a legal matter, so legally Britain should have the stone. Both countries have viable arguments on where the stone belongs, though Britain’s argument is stronger than Egypt’s. Egypt has no legal right to the Rosetta Stone and in today’s world legal rights outweighs ethical rights, and for them to demand and threaten that Britain hands it over is absurd. Egypt does not have a rightful position to demand the stone back, and for them to think that they can pay off Britain with a replica is ignorant. If Britain was to return the Rosetta Stone, it would not be long until Egypt and other countries would assume that they can demand other artwork back and soon the British Museum would be “raped” from their prized jewels that they have been protecting and displaying for many years. Britain has had possession over the stone for over two centuries; they have studied the stone and made is possible for millions of people to view and learn about its importance in the British Museum. I do not agree with people looting and stealing other countries artifacts, and unfortunately Egypt has lost many treasures over the years to other countries. But if the Rosetta Stone was never discovered by the French Troops, would we have been able to discover and learn about the lost ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs? It may have been possible that at a later date we could have come to the same conclusion but at that point in time France and Britain were more developed and stable countries than Egypt, and had the available resources to discover the importance of the