As he thought about the hieroglyphs in Thothmes' and Ramesses' names, Champollion realized their significance. It went far beyond the names themselves and gave him an insight into the entire system of hieroglyphic writing. For the names revealed that hieroglyphs were not simply representations of sounds. Nor did they have an exclusively symbolic meaning, as Thomas Young and other scholars had long believed. Instead, they were a combination of the two.

Question

As he thought about the hieroglyphs in Thothmes' and Ramesses' names, Champollion realized their significance. It went far beyond the names themselves and gave him an insight into the entire system of hieroglyphic writing. For the names revealed that hieroglyphs were not simply representations of sounds. Nor did they have an exclusively symbolic meaning, as Thomas Young and other scholars had long believed. Instead, they were a combination of the two.

-The Riddle of the Rosetta Stone, James Cross Giblin

Based on the passage, what did Champollion discover about the hieroglyphs on the Rosetta Stone? Write one to two sentences explaining his discovery in your own words. Short answer

Answer 1

Champollion discovered that the hieroglyphs on the Rosetta Stone were not just representations of sounds or symbols, but a combination of both. This gave him insight into the entire system of hieroglyphic writing.

Answer 2

Champollion discovered that the hieroglyphs on the Rosetta Stone were not just representations of sounds or purely symbolic, but rather a combination of both. This insight gave him an understanding of the entire system of hieroglyphic writing, beyond just the names of Thothmes and Ramesses.

Answer 3

Based on the passage, Champollion discovered that the hieroglyphs on the Rosetta Stone were not just representations of sounds or purely symbolic. Rather, they were a combination of both, which gave him insights into the entire system of hieroglyphic writing.