© irene waters 2018
Making papyrus for writing dates back to years Before Christ and as a result of the number of papyrus writings in existence the history and life of Egypt is better recorded than my own English history years after the birth of Christ. The papyrus above was seen in the Cairo Egyptian Museum but the tradition is kept alive today.
© irene waters 2018
At the Merit Papyrus Institute (also in Cairo) papyrus is made in the traditional way and proudly demonstrated to us. Firstly take a papyrus stalk.
© irene waters 2018
Chop it in pieces and soak them in water.
© irene waters 2018
When soaked slice them thinly
© irene waters 2018
and roll them out to get most of the moisture out. Traditionally I imagine they used rocks or tree branches to do this step but who knows – perhaps they invented the rolling pin.
© irene waters 2018
These strips are then placed in a woven fashion until a full sheet is made. (Another tradition can be seen in the background – the welcome to my place hibiscus tea.)
© irene waters 2018
It is then put in the press for around a week.
© irene waters 2018
And on completion a piece of papyrus that is both thin
© irene waters 2018
and strong.
We were then invited to peruse the painted papyrus and buy with a certificate of authenticity that our purchase had been made from papyrus in the traditional manner. Often in the market place apparently the papyrus sold is in reality made from a banana leaf.
Thank you to Terri who hosts Sunday Stills.
Reflections and Nightmares- Irene A Waters (writer and memoirist) 
wow!😊thanks for sharing Irene
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You’re welcome. Glad you enjoyed it.
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yes!😊❤️
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Wow! I had no idea that’s what the process was like. Makes you wonder how it was ever thought up in the first place. Papyrus looks a lot like celery!
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Let me know how you go with celery. Lol
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Ha!
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Really enjoyed this post showing papyrus being made. i tool a paper making course years ago. Though I didn’t make papyrus, I did make paper of several other plants including one piece trying to replicate bark paper. I spent hours pounding fibers with a mallet and then layering strips to create a small sheet.
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We are lucky in Australia as we have a tree called a paper bark and the bark sheds in sheets of paper. It is often used as the canvas on which to paint without having to do anything to it. I can see you pounding away with your mallet.
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