Today my sparse notes consisted of making papyrus. If memory serves correctly we traveled back to Cairo by air and were greeted with the dust of the ages. Our hotel was beside the pyramids but we could barely make out the outline. My room is #1413.
http://www.grandpyramidshotelgiza.com/index.htm?lbl=ggl-en&gclid=CKvj0_mXlcACFQamaQodnmUAbg
 |
| DUST! |
We shopped at a papyrus store and a linen store. We returned to the hotel just as the pool closed. *sigh* After dinner, the Arellanos, Stapletons and I walked around the corner to a grocery store. I have never seen so many varieties of rice in my life - FOUR rows. Tomorrow Goshen.
The Modern Technique for Making Papyrus Paper
The demonstration at Abu Simbel Papyrus is fun and informative. For three years prior, Abu Simbel had won best in product. Surrounded by beautifully painted samples (for purchase) you watch the show. Gamal Khedr is the most famous papyrus artist.
How it's done: Using the stem only, peel the reed and make the inside into strips. A hammer and rolling pin are used to make it flexible. Soak in water 6-7 days, changing the water once per day. A criss cross pattern is used (horizontal on one side and vertical on the other) to create a sheet of paper and then placed between pieces of linen. The sheets are pressed 6-7 days under a stone. After the drying process is complete, the sheets are polished by a round object (stone, shell or hardwood). For the curious:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFyPtp88t2g
By the 18th century, papyrus was extinct in Egypt although it continued to grow in the wild in Sudan and Sicily. These modern techniques were developed in 1962 by an engineer, Hassan Ragab. Papyrus is versatile and resilient. It is used, among other things, to make roofs, ropes, fences, baskets and mats.
No comments:
Post a Comment