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Papyrus

Type Object Region Egypt Time c. -1000–-500

Writing material made from pressed, dried strips of papyrus stem, the main medium for administrative, religious, and literary records in ancient Egyp…

Timeline

  1. c. -1000–-800Nile Delta · Nile DeltaCraftsmen peeled, sliced, and interlaced papyrus stems, pressing them dry into scrolls, creating a mass-producible writing base purchased by temples and government offices.
  2. c. -900–-600Thebes · Upper EgyptTemple archives, land contracts, and funerary texts were written in large quantities on papyrus, forming a complete document management system together with the hieratic script.
  3. c. -700–-500Eastern Mediterranean · Eastern MediterraneanEgyptian papyrus was shipped by sea to Phoenicia and the Greek world, becoming the most widely available writing material of the time and promoting cross-regional circulation of knowledge.

Sources