When the Rosetta Stone was deciphered at the beginning of the nineteenth century, allowing Egyptian writings to be translated and read, Egyptologists were sure this would lead to the discovery of ancient references to Joseph, Jacob and Moses. They were soon to be disappointed, as nothing in the vast collection of Egyptian writings provided any reference to Moses or even any clue that the Israelites had ever been in Egypt. Archaeologists also began to find clear evidence that the Israelites could never have been in Egypt, until they gradually reached a consensus conclusion that there never was an Exodus from Egypt as portrayed in the Bible, and therefore the biblical Moses did not exist.