In the summer of 1799, amidst the dust and chaos of Napoleon

In the summer of 1799, amidst the dust and chaos of Napoleon's campaign in Egypt, a group of French soldiers, led by Captain Pierre-François Bouchard, made a discovery that would change the course of history. While reinforcing the defenses near the town of Rosetta (modern-day Rashid), they unearthed a slab of black basalt, its surface etched with an array of ancient inscriptions.