Why were these books produced?
In May 1798, Napoleon Bonaparte left France for Egypt with a military force of more than 34,000 men. Accompanying this expedition were 167 savants (prominent scholars and scientists) headed by Baron Dominique Vivant Denon.
During a trip to Upper Egypt later that year, Denon made a series of hasty sketches of the monumental ruins in that region. These drawings were later shown to Napoleon who, recognising their importance, immediately commissioned the savants to accurately measure and draw these monuments. This work formed the basis of the Description de l'Egypte.
In 1802, Denon published his Voyage dans la Basse et la Haute Egypte which proved so poplular that it was translated into English in 1803 as Travels in Upper and Lower Egypt. In the meantime, the organisation of the Description de l'Egypte proceeded very slowly under the direction of Edme Francois Jomard. Published from 1809, this work broke new ground and heralded a new era for the archeology of ancient Egypt.
Deciphering hieroglyphics
While this work was being prepared for publication, Jean Francois Champollion, later known as the Father of Egyptology, discovered the key to deciphering the hieroglyphic text on the Rosetta Stone unearthed by Napoleon's army in 1799. This momentous discovery, which allowed scholars to read the ancient language, led to a new awareness and understanding of Egyptian history. | 
