Papyrus

Papyrus is a material similar to thick paper that was used in ancient times as a writing surface. It was made from the pith of the papyrus plant, Cyperus papyrus, a wetland sedge. Papyrus can also refer to a document written on sheets of such material, joined together side by side and rolled up into a scroll, an early form of a book.

History

Papyrus was first manufactured in Egypt and later spread to other parts of the world. The earliest archaeological evidence of papyrus was excavated in 2012 and 2013 at Wadi al-Jarf, an ancient Egyptian harbor located on the Red Sea coast. These documents, the Diary of Merrer, date to c. 2560–2550 BCE (end of the reign of Khufu).

Production

The Cyperus papyrus plant was once abundant in the Nile Delta. It was harvested, cut into strips, and arranged in two layers at right angles to form a sheet. The sheet was then beaten into a thin layer, which was then polished with a stone or shell.

Uses

Papyrus was used as a writing material as early as 3,000 BCE in Egypt, and later in Greece and Rome. It was also used throughout the Mediterranean region and in the Kingdom of Kush. Apart from a writing material, papyrus was also used on many occasions to construct items such as boats, mats, and baskets.

Preservation

Papyrus scrolls were often stored in wooden boxes and chests made in the form of statues. They were kept in libraries and archives set up by pharaohs, kings, and institutions of learning. Papyrus is fragile and sensitive to both moisture and dryness. Most papyrus scrolls are found in the ruins of libraries and other hidden places where they were originally stored.

See also

• Paper
• Scroll
• Parchment
• Vellum

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