Making Papyrus

This page describes the origin and making of papyrus, the material on which the Constitutio Antoniniana was written.

Papyrus was not only the most important precursor of the paper we use today, it also gave paper its name. Papyrus is made from the papyrus reed and was produced in ancient Egypt as early as the third millennium BC. Europe’s oldest “book,” the Derveni Papyrus, likewise listed in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register, is made of this material. The English word library is derived from the name for the bast fiber of the papyrus plant. Papyrus was ultimately replaced by parchment and paper as writing materials.

How papyrus is made is described on many websites: here is a good example. The Egypt Papyrus Museum in Giza also offers a demonstration:

"How To Make Papyrus Paper" | mycompasstv | https://youtu.be/DCR8n7qS43w