WHEN WE HEAR SOMEBODY MENTION ANCIENT SCROLLS THE FIRST THING THAT TO COME TO MIND IS THE GOLD TONED PAPYRUS – THE FIRST PAPER – FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD – THAT WAS USED TO RECORD HISTORY.  BUT HOW DOES IT LOOK BEFORE IT IS READY TO WRITE OR PAINT ON?

IT STARTS OF AS A FUZZY LOOKING BUSH WHICH GROWS IN THE GARDEN AMONG OTHER FLOWERS AND PLANTS. IN ANCIENT EGYPT IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PLANTS BECAUSE IT WAS USED, BESIDES BECOMING PAPYRUS, FOR WOVEN GOODS, FOOD AND EVEN FOR FRAGRANCE.

TO TRANSFORM THE LONG GRASS LIKE LEAVES INTO PAPYRUS, THE LEAVES ARE CUT, SOAKED,

AND THEN PUT INTO A PRESS IN SUCH A WAY THAT BINDS THEM TOGETHER WHEN DRY. THIS PROCESS ALSO CHANGES THEIR GREEN COLOR INTO A BEAUTIFUL GOLDEN HUE.

THERE ARE STILL ARTISANS TODAY WHO MAKE PAPYRUS AND HAVE ARTISTS PAINT ANCIENT EGYPTIAN MOTIVES, BRINGING BACK THE PAST

ONE SUCH PLACE IS THE PAPYRUS  INSTITUTE ON THE WEST BANK OF THE NILE NEAR LUXOR -YOU CAN’T MISS IT. IT IS ON THE MAIN ROAD GOING TO THE VALLEY OF THE KINGS.

More from Egypt soon

Brigitte