Egyptian Payprus Painting

Description:

Our English word "paper", is derived from the word "papyrus", anEgyptian word that originally meant "that which belongs to thehouse" (the bureaucracy of ancient Egypt). At about the same timeas the ancient Egyptians moved from prehistory to historyby developing a written language, they discovered theneed for a medium other than stone to transcribe upon. They foundthis in their papyrus plant, a triangular reed which symbolizedancient lower Egypt. It was light, strong, thin, durable and easyto carry, and for thousands of years, there was nothing better forthe purpose of writing. The earliest extant documented papyruscomes from Egypt''s 1st Dynasty, but we believe it mayhave been used as early as 4, 000 BC. It''s use continued untilabout the 11th century AD. Besides its use for producing a mediumfor writing purposes, papyrus was also used for mattresses on beds,for building chairs, tables, and other furniture as well as formats, baskets, boxes, sandals, utensils, rope and boats.Furthermore, the papyrus root was a source of food, medicine andperfume. Papyrus was, and continues today to be made from thepapyrus reed that grows in freshwater marshes alongthe river Nile, though today this growth is rare andcontrolled. Technically, it is Cyperus papyrus, a part of the sedgefamily. The plant grows to a height of about ten feet. Afterharvesting, the outer fibers are peeled away and the core of thestalk and sliced into very thin strips that are as broad aspossible. The best of these strips, from the perspective ofquality, comes from the center.