The texts provide a detailed account of the life and work of Jean-François Champollion, focusing on his journey to decipher Egyptian hieroglyphics. They highlight the crucial support of his older brother, Jacques-Joseph, in his learning and research. The sources describe the discovery of the Rosetta Stone and the competition with other scholars, culminating in Champollion's epoch-making success in 1822. His subsequent expedition to Egypt, the founding of Egyptology as a discipline and the last years of his life are also illustrated. In summary, they offer an in-depth look at Champollion and the birth of our understanding of ancient Egyptian civilisation.