Facts of Rosetta, Egypt
The Rosetta Stone held the key to the deciphering of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics. In 1799, the stone was found, long after its original carving in 196 B.C. It wasn't until 1822 that Jean-Francois Champollion managed to decipher the stone, according to the British Museum's Ancient Egypt website. The stone was named the Rosetta Stone due to its discovery in the small Egyptian town of Rosetta. While many people may know facts about the stone, not as much is widely known about the town of Rosetta itself.
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Name Changes
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In its earliest history, Rosetta was known as Khito, according to the Tour Egypt website. The town was captured by Menes in the Protodynastic era of history; Menes wanted to unite both parts of Egypt and saw the town as vital in doing so. Later, in the Ptolemic era, the town became known as Poulbotine in honor of the Poulbotinium Temple, a place to worship Cleopatra. The Coptic era brought about another name change, this time to Rashit. Eventually, this was changed into Rashid. In modern times, the town changed its name to Rosetta.
Early History
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Rosetta was founded in 853 AD as a port town. The town was meant to be a means of protecting Egypt from any sea invasions. Rosetta, located 65 kilometers from Alexandria, soon passed Alexandria in terms of importance for trading and wares. Coffee, silk, and grains were all traded within Rosetta. Eventually, Rosetta's fame dwindled as Alexandria became more powerful within Egypt.
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Modern History
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Rosetta's modern history includes the discovery of the Rosetta Stone in 1799. In 1807, according to Tour Egypt, the town was the sight of a battle between locals and British forces looking to capture the town and invade Egypt. From this battle, Egypt and Britain signed a treaty in which British troops agreed to evacuate Rosetta.
Attractions
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Tour Egypt's website refers to Rosetta as an open museum. The town features about 22 different Ottoman era merchant houses. A few of these houses are open to tourists, while the others are being restored. The Nile River is also a nice draw for tourists, according to Lonely Planet. The river at Rosetta is wide, with many boat companies offering riverboat tours.
Town Facts
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The town of Rosetta is rather small, covering 92 square kilometers. Rosetta's population rests at around 163,000 residents. Tourism is a major source of income for Rosetta. In addition, Rosetta residents still make use of the Nile River to trade goods and earn a living fishing. Rosetta's streets are mostly unpaved. Along the streets, merchants set up market stalls to sell their wares to locals and tourists.
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