Papyrus is a reedlike plant belonging to the family of sedge. It grows to a height of from 1 to 3 meters. The stems are drooping, slender branches, like shaggy, coarse hair. The leaves are small and the roots are strong.
The Roman, historian Pliny has left a description of how the ancient papyrus was made. The stems of the papyrus plant were peeled apart and flattened. The center one was the broadest and most valuable.
At one time, papyrus writing material was one of Egypt’s chief articles of commerce. All diplomatic papers for centuries were written on papyrus, until parchment took its place. Each piece was marked with a stamp to prove its value.
Baskets were also woven from the slender stalks of the papyrus plant. From its thicker stalks, mats and sails were made. Its pith, when boiled, furnished food for the poor, and when dried was used for fuel. So you can see how useful this plant was in ancient times.
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