Who would have thought that a broken rock could simultaneously serve as a device to decode secret messages, a multinational marketing tool, an emblem of cultural engagement, a symbol of colonial repression, and an icon of cultural resistance? Yet, since the decipherment of Egyptian hieroglyphs in September of 1822 by Jean-François Champollion—exactly two hundred years ago—the Rosetta Stone has become a global sensation imbued with kaleidoscopic symbolism. Foy Scalf of the University of Chicago's Oriental Institute will share a retrospective look at the decipherment of Egyptian hieroglyphs over the last two centuries, including an overview of the Rosetta Stone, the contents of its ancient inscription, its role in unlocking the ancient Egyptian language, and the many meanings it has today.