Large portals with a wicket in the
middle decorated with big-headed
nails are a common feature of old houses in Rosetta
With its deep-rooted history, unmatchable civilization
and everlasting monuments, Egypt has always attracted the
attention and admiration of Egyptologists as well as fans
from all corners of the globe. This has developed into
what came to be known as Egyptomania. In this context,
celebrations were held last July simultaneously in Britain
and France o mark the bicentenary of the discovery the
Rosetta Stone ( July 1799 )
Dramatic discovery
Closely associated with the town of Rosetta is the
discovery of the Rosetta Stone. This great occurrence took
place in the course of search by a French contingent
during the French expedition to Egypt of a suitable site
for fortifications. Dated 23.3.196 BC.
The stone recorded a decree passed by the priests of
Memphis in honor of Ptolemy Epipanes (r. 205 BC- 181 BC )
on the occasion of his accession and coronation, for his
bounty to the temples and the priesthood.
The stone was taken to Alexandria then to Cairo.
However, following the defeat of the French fleet at the
hands of the British in 1801 at Abu- Qeer, Alexandria, the
Rosetta Stone was forfeited to the British, together with
countless other treasures which formed the nucleus of the
Egypt collection at the British Museum in London.As the
original stone was moved to London, copies were sent to
universities and research centers interested in Egyptology
around the world.
Champollion Deciphers the
"Stone"
Jean- Francois Champollion was born in Figeac, south
France on December 23, 1790. At the age of 18, Champollion
was well-versed in Arabic, Calidonian, Syrianic and Coptic
languages. Following in-depth examination of the Rosetta
Stone, Champollion came to the conclusion that he had at
hand one single text in three languages. Based on his
profound knowledge of Coptic language, Champollion found
out that there was one text , written once in
hieroglyphics, a second time in demotic, and a third time
in Greek.
The stone recorded a decree passed by the priests of
Memphis in honor of Ptolemy Epipanes (r. 205 BC- 181 BC )
on the occasion of his accession and coronation, for his
bounty to the temples and the priesthood. The decree
embodied quotations from proclamations whereby the king
attempted to correct the evidently sorry conditions of
Egypt at that time
In order to get a first-hand experience of ancient
Egyptian history, Champollion traveled to Egypt, where he
visited ancient temples and tombs and copied inscriptions
on the walls. On March 3, 1832, Champollion died, leaving
behind a substantial dictionary of ancient Egyptian
together with a grammar of the language. As a result of
his work and continuing research, trained scholars can now
read with ease hieroglyphic texts, that were before him ,
a closed mystery.
Rosetta : Rose of the Nile
Rosetta. with its strategic location between the
Mediterranean and the western arm of the Nile, Rosetta had
been an extremely important military site since early
times. The town was witness to many important events in
ancient as well as modern times. It is typically tranquil
and highly green town with vast gardens, orchards and
date-palm plantations , in addition to a multitude of
beautiful historical houses, inns and mosques adorned with
exquisite decorative inscriptions and woodworks.
Rosetta across History
Lying 65 km east of Alexandria, Rosetta dates back to
the Protodynastic era , where Menes marched from Upper
Egypt to capture the town within his drive to unite both
parts of the country and the town was then named "
Khito". In the Ptolemic era, the town was renamed
" Poulbotine" after the Poulbotinium Temple,
dedicated to the worship of of Queen Cleopatra. In the
Coptic age, the town was known as Rashit, later converted
to Rashid. In later epochs, the town came to known by its
present name of Rosetta ( rosy in Latin ).
In 853 AD , the Abbasid Caliph ordered a town to be
built on the site of the old town on Poulbotine as a
protective fortification against sea invaders. Rashid was
referred to in history books as famous for making salted
fish and sea snails. In 1249, king Louis IX of France
occupied the town, in the course of his crusade against
the Orient. This incident drew the attention of the
Mamelukes to its importance. As a result, they flocked
into the town and many of them built beautiful houses,
mosques, inns and public baths. Since then, the town was
used as a trading harbor.
The Mameluk Sultan Qunsuwa al- Ghouri built a castle
and ordered many houses and mosques to be built there.
Under Ottoman rule, Rosetta remained a prosperous
trading harbor. At that time, the town attracted the
attention of both Britain and France, being the major
colonial powers that controlled trade between Europe and
the East. They set their eyes on Rosetta as a foothold to
possibly capture Egypt and France, appointed as a
consul-general at the town Mr. Benoit De Mallet, an
encyclopedic, enlightened French scholar, known for his
mastery of Arabic. Mr. Mallet had lived in Rosetta fort 16
years , where he wrote one of the best-known classics
"Description of Egypt".
At the same time, Britain was also looking for a
foothold on the Mediterranean in order to protect its
trade route for coffee shipped from Yemen, then a British
protectorate to Europe across the Red Sea and the
Mediterranean via Suez and Cairo.
As a result, Rosetta turned into one of the most
flourishing Mediterranean harbors. Its warehouses were
replete with grains, coffee, silk and many other trading
commodities. Its warehouses were replete with grains,
coffee, silk and many other trading commodities and its
streets bustling with Armenian, Turkish, Syrian and Jewish
traders.
Rich merchants and consuls of European countries, in
addition to hotels, inns, mosques and churches, built many
elegant houses.
During the French expedition, General Mineau was
appointed ruler of Rosetta, where he stayed for one year,
embraced Islam and took a wife; Zobayda al- Bawab.
As Mohammad Ali took over in 1805, Rosetta gained more
importance as a town and trading harbor.
An Open Museum
The town itself is an open museum, with 22 monumental
residences dating back to the Ottoman era in addition to
12 mosques, mills, castles and public baths.
In no other town in Egypt there can found such unique
collection of monumental residences, built with a rare
type of brown, well-trimmed and pointed bricks. How these
bricks were made still remains a mystery.
The houses reflect a high style of architecture,
construction and carpentry. Designed to Islamic
architectural style, the houses comprise Mushrabiyyas (
oriels), vast reception rooms, decorative inscriptions,
in-laid sea –shell woodworks, domes and densely
ornamented doors. Houses were provided with fresh water
tanks, properly insulated to protect buildings against
water leakage. Normally, each house had a drinking
fountain ( Sabeel), made available for free to passers-by.
The interior of the house was rich with exquisite
decorations, including inscriptions in Kufic calligraphy.
Mushrabiyyas were made of geometrically shaped, fine
woodworks. On top of the house, which sometimes rose to
two floors, there was a decorative skylight to allow
natural light and air into the building.
Witness to History
Rosetta commands a special significance in Egypt’s
modern history. On March 31, 1807, it was the theatre of a
crucial battle between local inhabitants led by the
town’s ruler; Ali Bey as- Slanki on the one hand and
British forces led by General Fraser, who sought to
capture the town as spring board for invading Egypt. As
the British marched from Alexandria, Egyptian fierce
resistance, leading to the defeat of the British troops
and death of the British commander, surprised them. Later
a treaty was signed by both parties, whereby the British
troops evacuated the town.
One of the outstanding landmarks of Rosetta is Abu
Madour Tower, wherefrom Vivien Dinon, a major historian of
the French Expedition monitored the famous Abu-Qeer naval
battle between the British and French fleets.
Rosetta at Present
Lying under the jurisdiction of al-Behaira Gvernorate,
Rosetta now covers an area of about 92 sq. km, with a
population of about 163,000. The town has also an
efficient infrastructure, stations, regional and
international telecommunications besides an overland and
river transport network that link it with other parts of
the country.
Today, as a tourist attraction, it is best known for
its distinct Ottoman era merchant houses, of which there
are around 22. Most are being restored, but a few
are open for visitors. With many mashrabiyyas, the
intricately carved wooden screens, the houses are usually
three stories with each level stuck slightly out from the
lower ones. The facades are relatively narrow, and the
mortar is often outlined to create polychrome patterning
in red, black and white.
There is suppose to be a museum which occupies the
House of Arab Kily where the governor resided during
Rosetta's better days. Also of interest is the
Hammam Azouz, which is a two story, public bath.