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What is Papyrus about?

## Donald P Ryan ay the word papyrus and images of scrolls, scribes, and pens immediately come to mind. To be sure, papyrus paper has left an indelible mark on civilization, but there is far more to its history than just paper. First and foremost, papyrus is a plant, a plant with a wide range of applications far exceeding its celebrated use as an ancient writing material. Rarely have the many uses of papyrus been recognized. It is my hope that a more complete understanding of this plant, which is the focus of this article, will encourage a broader appreciation of its importance in the study of history and culture. ## The Papyrus Plant Cyperus papyrus is a member of the Cyperaceae, or sedge, family of plants (Metcalfe 1971: 191-98; Ragab 1980: 21-52; Zohary 1982: 137), which comprises nearly 4,000 species of grass-or rush-like herbs (Tickholm and Drar 1973: 3). Cyperus papyrus is a robust perennial plant that grows best in freshwater swamps. Tall green stalks, or culms, are supported by a subterranean network of tangled rhizomes. The fibrous culm, which was the most widely utilized part of the plant, is triangular in cross section and has a thin, green exterior and a spongy, whitish

Who reads Papyrus?

Author

Donald P. Ryan

Published

1988

Field

Arts and Humanities (Social Sciences)