Abstract

A physical model, based on energy balances, is proposed to describe the fractures in solid structures such as stelae, tiles, glass, and others. We applied the model to investigate the transition of the Rosetta Stone from the original state to the final state with three major fractures. We consider a statistical corner-breaking model with cutting rules. We obtain a probability distribution as a function of the area and the number of vertices. Our generic results are consistent with the current state of the Rosetta Stone and, additionally, predictions related to a fourth fracture are declared. The loss of information on such heritage pieces is considered through entropy production. The explicit quantification of this concept in information theory stays examined. © 2023 Calcina-Nogales et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.