The Rosetta Stone, discovered in 1799, was significant in understanding Egyptian hieroglyphs because it featured the same text inscribed in three scripts: Greek, Demotic, and hieroglyphic. This provided a pivotal key for deciphering the previously mysterious hieroglyphs, which had perplexed scholars for centuries. The stone's inscriptions detailed a decree issued during the reign of King Ptolemy V, allowing linguists to compare the known Greek script with the unknown hieroglyphs. Jean-François Champollion's eventual decipherment of the text in 1822 opened up a vast wealth of knowledge about ancient Egyptian culture, history, and language.