Writing is an important carrier of civilization. Before writing appeared, there was a tradition of graphic recording in prehistoric society. Later, some graphics were simplified to pictographic symbols, and people found that some basic information could be expressed by some symbols. There are more and more symbols, and then people find that some simple symbols can be combined to express more complex meanings, so the earliest ideographic writing system was born.

The core of ideographic characters is the most basic pictographic symbols and conventional reference symbols, as well as the combination mode and internal logic of these symbols. Cuneiform is named for its shape like a wooden wedge.

The discovery of human beings is generally accidental, and the decoding of cuneiform is even more accidental. 1799, 19 In July, Napoleon's army sweeping through Egypt stumbled upon a stone tablet in the village of Rosetta? Rosetta stone. An announcement issued by the Egyptian Pharaoh Ptolemy V in BC 196 was also engraved on this monument in three languages, namely hieroglyphic cuneiform, phonetic cuneiform and ancient Greek.

Since ancient Greek is one of the popular written languages in Europe, this stone tablet is undoubtedly a dictionary. Looking around, the whole ancient Egyptian civilization is within reach. France announced that the results would be announced in a few weeks. In fact, the French are too optimistic. It took 20 years to decipher the inscription on this small stone tablet.

Napoleon's capture of Egypt touched the interests of the British Empire. A war called the Nile War broke out between the two countries, and the British retaken Egypt. Among the spoils recaptured by the British, the Rosetta Stone was included, which was considered to be the self-destruction of the existing French general Manu. In exchange for other items detained by the British, he had to hand them over. Fortunately, many copies have been made before, and in his opinion, they are not much different. The British army transported the stone tablet back to London and proudly displayed it in the British Museum.

This move inspired a young Frenchman's patriotic enthusiasm, and he vowed to read the monument in front of the British, so as to regain what the French could not get on the battlefield, that is, the French sense of superiority. This man is champollion. Of course, the British themselves know the importance of deciphering this stone tablet, and they have made great efforts to recapture a treasure, but they don't know how to use it. Is it not a laughing stock?

Thomas Young, a resident scientist at the museum, led the research in Britain. Not to mention his strong financial resources and state support, his qualifications can keep competitors away. His principles of human eye focusing and light propagation are still the basic assumptions of classical physics and are widely cited. In addition, the British have the Rosetta Stone, which in itself is an unparalleled advantage.

Champollion is much poorer, lonely, nameless, hopeless and born in poverty. However, champollion has two incomparable advantages, that is, his language talent and his brother Joseph. No matter what he does, Joseph blindly supports him. Champollion was born in the small town of Feijika in the southwest of France, and finished his middle school education in Greenough. At the age of thirteen, he was proficient in six languages, including Egyptian and Greek.