A durable writing material in roll, sheet or book form made from a giant sedge, Cyperus papyrus.
To produce papyrus, the pith of the plant is sliced into strips that are laid out in a row with the edges slightly overlapping.
Another row is then laid crosswire on top of the first. Next, the two layers are moistened with water and pounded into a sheet of writing material, smoothed and then dried.
Papyrus was used as a writing material by the Egyptians since the beginning of the third century B.C. Beginning in the second century A.D.
It was produced in Egypt in large quantities and transported throughout the ancient world.
In time papyrus was replaced by parchment, which was in turn was replaced by paper.