A New Letter (W) Has Been Added to the Chicago Demotic Dictionary

Originally published August 10, 2009 | Oriental Institute

A new letter has been added to the Chicago Demotic Dictionary (W). I have provided the direct link to that particular page in the CDD (the above link will send you to the home page of the CDD's table of contents, where you can download all letters of the dictionary).

The Rosetta Stone: History and Modern Controversy

Originally published August 5, 2009 | The Indianapolis Examiner | by Gwynneth Anderson

The following is an excerpt from the Indianapolis Examiner (I can't believe I missed this one!); click the above link to read the full article:

Listen carefully for ghostly chuckles during your next visit to Les Invalides. If you hear them, don’t worry - it’s merely Napoleon smirking at the continuing fallout from his 1798 Egyptian Campaign.

In 1799, soldiers constructing Fort Julian at a port city called Rosetta (now called Rashid) pulled a large black stone, almost 4 feet tall, 28 inches wide, 11 inches thick and weighing approximately 1,700 pounds, out of the Nile delta muck. Imagine their shock at seeing the inscriptions after it was cleaned off.

The article includes pictures and many links to other resources on the topic.

A New Letter (H) Has Been Added to the Chicago Demotic Dictionary

Originally published July 31, 2009 | Oriental Institute

A new letter has been added to the Chicago Demotic Dictionary (H with a dot). I have provided the direct link to that particular page in the CDD (the above link will send you to the home page of the CDD's table of contents, where you can download all letters of the dictionary).

Ancient Fortress City Unearthed in Egypt

Originally published July 14, 2009 | Discovery News | by Rossella Lorenzi

More news regarding the recent discovery of a military town in Tell Dafna, the largest in the eastern Delta. Information is given about its size; its location compared to other cities; its importance throughout history, including the fairly recent present when Petrie excavated there, and to several well-known rulers such as Ramesses II and Psammetichus I; the current undergoings by the SCA to rescue it from modern development; the role the British Museum is playing in the project and their plans; the material findings there that support the fact that the site held military and trading importance in ancient times; and further developments as new discoveries are uncovered such as a temple and palace.