Over 5000 years ago, the ancient Egyptians wrote things down using a picture writing called hieroglyphics. The people who did the actual writing were called scribes. 

The scribes had a problem. The ancient Egyptians wrote everything down, absolutely everything! Although hieroglyphics were very pretty, it took time to write in pictures. 

Scribes needed a faster way to write things down. They created a new form of writing called Demotic script. The new scribes did not study the old language of hieroglyphics. They could write much more rapidly with some of the new scripts they created.

Hundreds of years later, archaeologists discovered beautiful hieroglyphic writing on the walls of ancient Egyptian pyramids and tombs. The archaeologists had a problem. They knew hieroglyphics had meanings. Although lots of archaeologists could read Demotic script, there was no one left in the world who remembered what the ancient hieroglyphics meant. 

It was most frustrating!

It was not until quite recently, a mere 200 years ago, that a stone was found in Egypt. This stone had the same short story written on it in Greek, in Demotic, and in hieroglyphics. Scientists could read Greek. Scientists could read Demotic. And now, scientists could begin to read hieroglyphics. They named this famous stone the Rosetta Stone. 

Today, the Rosetta Stone is on display for everyone to see. Currently, it makes its home in the famous British Museum in London. 

Hieroglyphics (interactive) 

Writing (story and game)

Print your name

Write your name in hieroglyphics  

Hieroglyphic Translator

Egypt: Rosetta Stone

Making Sense

Hieroglyphics say What? (pbs)

Send a Buried Message (game, museum of science)

Lots of Hieroglyphics (kidzone)