Champollion's decipherment

Jean-François Champollion was a French scholar who deciphered Egyptian hieroglyphs in the early 19th century. His breakthrough came after studying the Rosetta Stone—a tablet inscribed with the same text in Greek, Demotic, and hieroglyphs. By comparing these texts, Champollion recognized that certain symbols represented sounds, not just ideas. This realization enabled him to unlock the language of ancient Egypt, revealing its rich history and culture. His work laid the foundation for modern Egyptology, allowing us to read and understand a civilization that had long remained a mystery.