Cyperus papyrus

Large heads of pendulous leaves, greenish flower spikelets that can measure 1' across, thats Papyrus. Our English word "paper", is derived from the word "papyrus", an Egyptian word.
The papyrus reed that grows in freshwater marshes along the river Nile is a light, strong, thin, durable and easy to carry plant. It was used for mattresses, building chairs, tables, and other furniture, for mats, baskets, boxes, sandals, utensils, rope and boats. The papyrus root was a source of food, medicine and perfume. And for thousands of years, there was nothing better for the purpose of writing than Papyrus.
However, gradually, the Egyptians abandoned the production of Papyrus and neglected the cultivation of their papyrus plantations. Eventually, papyrus itself disappeared from the Egyptian landscape, and the ancient Egyptians left little evidence about the manufacturing process to turn papyrus reed into Papyrus. It wasn't until the second half of the 1960s that an Egyptian scientist named Dr. Hassan Ragab finally figured out how it was done, and now, after a very long absence, the art of Papyrus-making is back in Egypt.
In 1969 and 1970, the Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl built two boats from papyrus, Ra and Ra II, in an attempt to demonstrate that ancient African or Mediterranean people could have reached America in papyrus boats. He succeeded in sailing Ra II from Morocco to Barbados.

© CT-Graphics - Christine Till

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