Papyrus facts for kids

Papyrus paper

A papyrus plant (Cyperus papyrus) at Kew Gardens, London

Papyrus plants growing near Syracuse, Sicily

Papyrus is a unique kind of paper. People in Ancient Egypt used it for writing. It was first made a very long time ago, around 3000 BC.

Papyrus paper comes from a tall reed plant. This plant is called Cyperus papyrus. It grew in wet, marshy areas near the Nile river.

The Egyptians used the papyrus plant for many things. They made boats, mattresses, mats, and rope. They also crafted sandals and baskets from it. Special papyrus plants were grown just to make writing material. Papyrus was first used in Ancient Egypt. Later, it became popular all around the Mediterranean region.

How Papyrus Was Made

Making papyrus was a clever process. Workers would cut the papyrus stems. They would then peel off the outer green layer. This left the soft, white inner pith.

Preparing the Strips

The pith was sliced into thin strips. These strips were placed side by side. Then, another layer of strips was placed on top. This second layer went at a right angle to the first.

Pressing and Drying

The layers were pressed together. This squeezed out water and sap. The sap helped the strips stick together. After pressing, the sheet was left to dry. Once dry, it became a strong, flexible writing surface.

Why Papyrus Was Important

Papyrus was very important for ancient civilizations. It allowed people to record history. They wrote down laws, stories, and religious texts.

Keeping Records

Before papyrus, people often wrote on clay tablets or stone. These were heavy and hard to move. Papyrus was much lighter. This made it easier to store and transport documents. It helped knowledge spread across different lands.

Papyrus Today

Today, we mostly use paper made from wood pulp. But papyrus is still special. It reminds us of ancient times. You can still see papyrus plants growing in some places.

Images for kids

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  A Roman portraiture fresco of a young man holding a papyrus scroll. This artwork is from Herculaneum and dates to the 1st century AD.

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  A papyrus document that is a bill of sale for a donkey. It measures 19.3 by 7.2 cm and is kept at Houghton Library, Harvard University.

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  A scene showing men splitting papyrus. This image is from the Tomb of Puyemré and is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art collection.

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  Papyrus plants growing near Syracuse, Sicily.

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  A close-up of a papyrus flower against a white background.

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  A drawing from 1838 showing a greater bird of paradise and the papyrus plant.

See also

In Spanish: Papiro para niños