Discovered in 1799, the Rosetta Stone served as the vital key for Jean-François Champollion to decipher Egyptian hieroglyphs in 1822, unlocking centuries of ancient history. The 196 BC decree, written in hieroglyphs, Demotic, and Greek, allowed scholars to move beyond symbolic interpretation and finally read primary sources like the Book of the Dead. For more details, visit Encyclopedia Britannica .
Discovery of the Rosetta Stone | History | Research Starters