9Hieroglyphs: A Complex Writing System
Ancient Egyptians developed one of the earliest writing systems known as hieroglyphs, which comprised over 700 symbols representing sounds, objects, and concepts. Hieroglyphs were used for religious texts, monumental inscriptions, and administrative documents. The complexity of this writing system meant that only a select few, known as scribes, could read and write it. The Rosetta Stone, discovered in 1799, was crucial for deciphering hieroglyphs because it contained the same text written in Greek, Demotic, and hieroglyphic scripts, enabling scholars to unlock the language and gain insight into ancient Egyptian culture.
