Papyrus Artwork

Papyrus was the first writing surface ever invented. Discovered in Egypt, this revolutionary product dominated many forms of artwork and literature until pulp paper was discovered. Papyrus is made from a reed-like plant that grows in the marshes of the river Nile. This plant grows about 10 feet tall. The plant is harvested, and the hard outer fibers are peeled away, and the core is sliced into strips. The strips are then soaked in water, which removes most of the sugar content. After soaking, the strips are pounded and the water drained. The strips are then placed side by side, overlapping slightly. A second set of strips is then placed at right angles to the first, again overlapping slightly. This process is repeated over and over again until a piece of paper or artwork is formed. Afterwards, the surface is polished to a smooth finish by rubbing with a stone or black wood. All of the papyrus artwork we carry is made using this process, which adds value and ingenuity to each piece.

This article is free. You can publish or circulate this article on other websites as long as you give credit to Africa Imports; and include a link back to africaimports.com at the end of the article.