Around The World In 80 Waves

Papyrus is a thin paper-like material produced from the pith of the Cyperus papyrus plant, which used to grow abundantly along the banks of the Nile. It is known to have been used at least as far back as the First Dynasty of Ancient Egypt.

Mahmood and Ashraf take me to see how it is produced and to offer another friend’s business a chance to flog me some stuff.

The manufacturing process is surprisingly simple. You cut off the green from the stem of the plant and then place several other pith alongside it. Another layer is added perpendicular to this and the whole lot is then placed into a press, squeezing all the moisture out.

The resulting material looks as in this picture and is quite flexible as well as durable.

The duration of the time spent in the press correlates positively with the darkness of the papyrus produced, so the longer it is squeezed the darker it becomes.

I did part with some money here to buy a scroll which had a version of Tutankhamun’s mask painted on it.

However honours were even because after a healthy amount or haggling this bookmark of my name in heiroglyphics was thrown in to sweeten the deal.

I am a tad cynical about the authenticity of heiroglyphs denoting Pharaoh Robert inside the cartouche shape, but will run with it all the same.

A score draw so Rob 3 vendors 1.