Papyrus is a perennial water plant of family sedge, the closest relative of a cane. Grows generally in tropical Africa, on coast of lakes and the rivers. In the ancient time made of its stalks not only writing material, but also spun fabrics, did footwear, rafts and shuttles.
Papyrus reaches up to 5 meters in height, and the stalk of this huge grass has diameter to 7 centimeters. It has practically no leaves, but the stalk basis is covered entirely by leathery scales. Above a stalk there is a large inflorescence of meter diameter reminding a crown. It consists of beams which on the ends branch. At the basis of these beams cones 1-2 centimeters long are located. Papyrus fruit trihedral, it is very similar to a buckwheat fruit. Along coast of the rivers and lakes papyrus forms the real thickets, than very much resembles a cane. Scientists-biologists established that papyrus evaporates a large amount of water from reservoirs about which grows. At the beginning of the 3rd millennium B.C. ancient Egyptians began to make of papyrus material for the letter - a paper prototype. Cutting on narrow strips freshof stalks of papyrus, they displayed them in 2 layers (up and down). Then put papyrus under a press. As in papyrus there is an adhesive substance, these both layers stuck together. As a result elastic thin sheets which then dried up in the sun turned out. From the received sheets the ancient Egyptians displaced rolls on which then it was possible to write with the pointed stick. In length such rolls reached 30 meters, and width had from 20 to 30 centimeters. In Egypt papyrus was considered as a curative plant. From its rhizome cooked various dishes, did ware, spun ropes and mats. Graceful and effective inflorescences of papyrus served as jewelry on holidays. Papyrus is represented on many tombs of Ancient Egyptian Pharaohs. Even on a magnificent sarcophagus of world famous Tutankhamun there is an image of papyrus. Ancient Egyptians built rafts and boats of papyrus. It is remarkable that in the seventies the 20th century our great contemporary - the Norwegian scientist and the traveler Tur Heyerdal - crossed by the boat made of papyrus, the Atlantic Ocean. Egypt long enough was the only country where specially grew up papyrus for economic needs. Scientists-historians found out that only in the 20th century the Arabs brought papyrus on the island of Sicily which is in the Mediterranean Sea. On the island he perfectly took root to this day grows there. Today papyrus decorates a set of parks of Egypt, grows in Brazil, Argentina and other countries with warm climate.