Papyrus paper

Papyrus plant Cyperus papyrus at Kew Gardens, London

Papyrus plants at Syracuse, Sicily

Papyrus is a kind of paper that was used in Ancient Egypt for writing. It was first made in the 3rd millennium BC. It was made from a kind of reed called Cyperus papyrus.

This plant grows in marshy areas around the Nile river. The Egyptians also used the papyrus plants to make boats, mattresses, mats, rope, sandals, and baskets.