The discovery that helped to decode Egyptian hieroglyphs was the Rosetta Stone, found in 1799 by French soldiers during Napoleon's campaign in Egypt. The stone features a decree inscribed in three scripts: Greek, Demotic, and hieroglyphic. Scholars, including Jean-François Champollion, utilized the Greek text to unlock the meanings of the hieroglyphs, allowing for the translation of ancient Egyptian texts. This breakthrough significantly advanced the understanding of Egyptian culture, history, and language.