Egyptian hieroglyphs comprised a formal system of writing that combined pictograms (pictures that represent the object depicted), ideograms (pictures that represent ideas), and sound signs (symbols that represent the sounds of spoken words). The earliest form of Egyptian hieroglyphs found so far dates back to 33 B.C.
When other forms of writing proved more practical and popular, hieroglyphs fell out of use. By the 4th century A.D., few Egyptians could read them. The last known hieroglyphic inscription dates to 394 A.D.
Misconceptions Delayed Deciphering Hieroglyphs
As early as the fifth century A.D., an Egyptian priest named Horapollo wrote a manual of hieroglyphs that was later translated into Greek. His misunderstanding of the writing helped promote the idea that hieroglyphs expressed mystical knowledge and esoteric insights about the universe through allegory. The notion that ancient Egyptians had possessed an exotic, higher form of understanding was to color the view of scholars and others in Europe and the Middle East for hundreds of years.
Since at least the 16th century, European scholars tried to decipher Egyptian hieroglyphs. Their efforts yielded little of value because of the mistaken idea that hieroglyphs were merely a form of picture writing.
The Rosetta Stone was the key to understanding Egyptian hieroglyphs. The slab -- which was discovered in 1799 by a French army engineer during the campaign of Napoleon Bonaparte in Egypt -- is inscribed with text in three different forms of writing: Egyptian hieroglyphs, Egyptian Demotic (a cursive script derived from hieroglyphics), and ancient Greek.
However, because parts of the Rosetta Stone had broken off, it was difficult to translate the hieroglyphic and demotic writings by comparing them with the Greek text. Moreover, no was sure that all three texts said the same thing.
Another article describes the efforts of researchers over several decades that finally yielded a full translation of the hieroglyps on the Rosetta Stone.
Why Deciphering Egyptian Hieroglyphs Was Important
In his book The Rosetta Stone and the Rebirth of Ancient Egypt, John Ray wrote that a “direct link with the past was severed” when understanding of hieroglyphs was lost.
It was natural to be curious about the people who left behind the Sphinx, the pyramids, and the numerous other stunning monuments.
Perhaps what the scholars who were to tackle the job of deciphering the hieroglyphs realized instinctively is in keeping with the insight expressed on the Web site of Sorosoro, an organization dedicated to rescuing languages from extinction: language is not merely a means to communicate. Language conveys how a population perceives the world. As such, language is key to understanding a population’s culture, history, mythology, and views on the origins of the world.
Sources:
The Rosetta Stone and the Rebirth of Ancient Egypt, by John Ray (Harvard University Press, 2007)
"Rosetta Stone Translation," essortment.com
"Pyramids," from Nova Online Adventure
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