Egyptian hieroglyphs are a system of writing used in ancient Egypt that combines logographic and alphabetic elements. They consist of over 700 symbols, including pictures of objects, animals, and abstract concepts. Hieroglyphs were primarily used for religious texts, monumental inscriptions, and official documents, often carved into stone or painted on papyrus. The writing system dates back to around 3100 BCE and was used for thousands of years until the decline of Egyptian civilization. Hieroglyphs were deciphered in the 19th century, largely due to the discovery of the Rosetta Stone, which provided the key to understanding this complex script.