Papyrus

    The writing material 'papyrus' was made from the plant Cyperuspapyrus L.; this industry was a royal monopoly in Egypt. However, when Egyptologists refer to 'Papyrus X', this describes a named or numbered document, inscribed on papyrus, which is held in a particular museum or other collection.

    The plant itself, with its green and vigorous growth, was regarded as a sacred symbol of rebirth and renewal. It was also used as a material for boat-building, ropes, sandals, mats and baskets.

    Medical Papyrus: a document which usually preserves various medical diagnoses and treatments as well as a series of magical formulae designed to cure the sick. Twelve major medical papyri have so far been discovered, but it is probable that many more existed.

Biographical Dictionary of Ancient Egypt by Rosalie and Antony E. David

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   Plural papyri. An aquatic plant found in the swamps of ancient Egypt but is now extinct in that country. The name derives from Greek and probably ancient Egyptian. The pith of the plant was cut into strips and joined using its natural adhesive properties to form sheets that were never more than 50 centimeters high. The sheets could be glued together to form rolls or cut down to form smaller writing surfaces. Papyrus became the standard medium of written communication in ancient Egypt, and many examples of literary, religious, and documentary uses survive. The earliest uninscribed example dates to Dynasty 1. Papyrus was later used outside of Egypt throughout the ancient world before the invention of paper.

   See also Literature; Wisdom Literature.

Historical Dictionary Of Ancient Egypt by Morris L. Bierbrier