PAPYRUS
Cyperus papyrus is the Latin name for ‘a wetland sedge’ The plant could grow in tropical deserts or wet forests or swamps. It’s conducive to average temperatures of 20-30C.
Papyrus appears as clump of green stems. Each stem produces a cluster of thinner feathery stems. Olive coloured sprouts appear on these. They eventually become brown nut-like fruits.
The main regions in the Mediterranean for Papyrus include: the Nile Delta, Sicily, Syria east to the Euphrates and in valleys with suitable wetlands. It is this latter area - the valley to the north-west of Ephesus between Mount Pion and Bulbul Mountain - that allowed the residents of Ephesus and Anatolia to cultivate and develop the use of papyrus. It grew
Papyrus was used for writing (Gospels & Epistles), sandals, rope, floor mats, baskets, hats, trays, reed boats, fish traps, roofs & ceilings. The root of the plant which could become a hard woody substance could be used to make utensils and bowls and could also be burned as fuel.
Writing on papyrus included parchments and scrolls.
Scrolls were used for large texts. Folding papyrus would cause it to crack. Thus using a scroll preserved the document.
Parchments were individual sheets. Parchments could be assembled into a book form, a codex. The Early Christian writers adopted the codex form, Papyrus scrolls could carefully be cut to create individual pages. Unless the papyrus was of perfect quality, the writing surface was irregular.
Papyrus was susceptible to both extremes of moisture and dryness. Damp weather caused papyrus sheets to disintegrate which is why documents survived only in certain venues.
Picture = Harvesting papyrus – card by Liebig Meat Extracts circa 1890.
Cyperus papyrus is the Latin name for ‘a wetland sedge’ The plant could grow in tropical deserts or wet forests or swamps. It’s conducive to average temperatures of 20-30C.
Papyrus appears as clump of green stems. Each stem produces a cluster of thinner feathery stems. Olive coloured sprouts appear on these. They eventually become brown nut-like fruits.
The main regions in the Mediterranean for Papyrus include: the Nile Delta, Sicily, Syria east to the Euphrates and in valleys with suitable wetlands. It is this latter area - the valley to the north-west of Ephesus between Mount Pion and Bulbul Mountain - that allowed the residents of Ephesus and Anatolia to cultivate and develop the use of papyrus. It grew
Papyrus was used for writing (Gospels & Epistles), sandals, rope, floor mats, baskets, hats, trays, reed boats, fish traps, roofs & ceilings. The root of the plant which could become a hard woody substance could be used to make utensils and bowls and could also be burned as fuel.
Writing on papyrus included parchments and scrolls.
Scrolls were used for large texts. Folding papyrus would cause it to crack. Thus using a scroll preserved the document.
Parchments were individual sheets. Parchments could be assembled into a book form, a codex. The Early Christian writers adopted the codex form, Papyrus scrolls could carefully be cut to create individual pages. Unless the papyrus was of perfect quality, the writing surface was irregular.
Papyrus was susceptible to both extremes of moisture and dryness. Damp weather caused papyrus sheets to disintegrate which is why documents survived only in certain venues.
Picture = Harvesting papyrus – card by Liebig Meat Extracts circa 1890.
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