Bbc Podcasts: Episode 33: Rosetta Stone 19 May 2010

Ancient Egyptian stela with text in Greek, hieroglyphs and demotic. The Rosetta Stone is one of the British Museum's best known objects and a valuable key to the decipherment of hieroglyphs. Neil MacGregor, Director of the British Museum tells the story of the Egypt of Ptolemy V. He also looks at the Greek kings who ruled in Alexandria and the struggle between the British and the French over the Middle East and their squabble over the stone. Historian Dorothy Thompson and the writer Ahdaf Soueif help untangle the tale. (Duration: 15 mins)