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papyrus

papyrus

The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. | 2011 | Copyright

papyrus , a sedge ( Cyperus papyrus ), now almost extinct in Egypt but so universally used there in antiquity as to be the hieroglyphic symbol for Lower Egypt and a common motif in art. The roots were used as fuel; the pith was eaten. The stem was employed for sandals, boats, twine, boxes, mats, sails, cloth and most notably as a writing material (used in Egypt until the introduction of paper there in the 8th cent. and exported throughout the Mediterranean world). This writing material, which was also called papyrus, was formed into sheets by laying lengthwise slices of the sedge side by side in two layers at right angles and pressing them together with an adhesive probably composed of their own juices and Nile water. The sheets were glued end to end and rolled on wooden rods to form manuscripts. Many examples have been recovered, especially in Egypt, and have furnished valuable literary and historical matter in Greek and other languages. The science of papyrology is concerned with the study of these documents. Papyrus is classified in the division Magnoliophyta , class Liliopsida, order Cyperales, family Cyperaceae.

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papyrus

The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable | 2006 | | Copyright

papyrus a material prepared in ancient Egypt from the pithy stem of the water plant papyrus, a tall aquatic sedge native to central Africa and the Nile valley, used in sheets throughout the ancient Mediterranean world for writing or painting on and also for making articles such as rope, sandals, and boats.

To form a sheet of writing material, the stem of the papyrus plant was sliced into thin strips which were laid side by side, with another layer of similar strips crossing them, usually followed by a third parallel to the first. The whole was then soaked in water, pressed, and dried.
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ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "papyrus." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "papyrus." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-papyrus.html

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papyrus

A Dictionary of the Bible | 1997 | | Copyright

papyrus A plant which flourished near the delta of the Nile in Egypt (Job 8: 11), used for making writing material. The stem was cut into sections, split open, and sliced into strips which were then laid flat and a second layer superimposed crossways before the sheets were pressed together. Sheets could be stuck together to form a roll, or (by the 2nd cent. CE) a codex (a book with pages). Documents made of papyri survived well in the dry climate of Egypt, and fragments of the Greek Bible written in the 2nd cent. CE have been found.
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W. R. F. BROWNING. "papyrus." A Dictionary of the Bible. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

W. R. F. BROWNING. "papyrus." A Dictionary of the Bible. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O94-papyrus.html

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papyrus

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English | 2009 | Copyright

pa·py·rus / pəˈpīrəs/ • n. (pl. papyri / -rī/ or papyruses ) 1. a material prepared in ancient Egypt from the pithy stem of a water plant, used in sheets throughout the ancient Mediterranean world for writing or painting on and also for making rope, sandals, and boats. ∎  a document written on papyrus. 2. the tall aquatic sedge (Cyperus papyrus) from which this material is obtained, native to central Africa and the Nile valley.

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"papyrus." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

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papyrus

The Oxford Dictionary of Art | 2004 | | Copyright

papyrus. A writing material made from the stem of the marsh plant of the same name, growing in antiquity principally in Egypt and now in the Sudan. Its use in Egypt goes back to at least the third millennium bc and it was the standard writing material in ancient Greece and throughout the Roman Empire. From the 4th century ad it was increasingly replaced by parchment.
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IAN CHILVERS. "papyrus." The Oxford Dictionary of Art. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

IAN CHILVERS. "papyrus." The Oxford Dictionary of Art. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O2-papyrus.html

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papyrus

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art and Artists | 2003 | | Copyright

papyrus. A writing material made from the stem of the marsh plant of the same name, growing in antiquity principally in Egypt and now in the Sudan. Its use in Egypt goes back to at least the third millennium bc and it was the standard writing material in ancient Greece and throughout the Roman empire. From the 4th century ad it was increasingly replaced by parchment.
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IAN CHILVERS. "papyrus." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art and Artists. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

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papyrus

World Encyclopedia | 2005 | Copyright

papyrus Stout, perennial water plant, native to s Europe, n Africa, and the Middle East, used by the ancient Egyptians to make a paper-like writing material. Strips of the stem were arranged in layers, crushed and hammered to form a loosely textured, porous kind of paper. Height: to 4.5m (15ft). Family Cyperaceae; species Cyperus papyrus.
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papyrus

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology | 1996 | | Copyright

papyrus kind of sedge from which ancient writing material was made XIV; writing material so prepared XVIII. — L. papȳrus — Gr. pápūros paper-rush, of unkn. orig. The comb. form is papyro-, as in papyrology, papyrologist (XIX).
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T. F. HOAD. "papyrus." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

T. F. HOAD. "papyrus." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-papyrus.html

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papyrus

A Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture | 2000 | | Copyright

papyrus. Decoration based on stylized versions of the flowers and leaves of the paperreed (Cyperus papyrus), often found in Ancient Egyptian architecture, notably on capitals.
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JAMES STEVENS CURL. "papyrus." A Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

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papyrus

A Dictionary of Plant Sciences | 1998 | | Copyright

papyrus See CYPERUS.
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MICHAEL ALLABY. "papyrus." A Dictionary of Plant Sciences. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

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papyrus

Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes | 2007 | Copyright

papyrus •Arras, embarrass, harass •gynandrous, polyandrous •Pancras • charas • Tatras • disastrous •ferrous • leprous • ambidextrous •Carreras, mayoress •scabrous •cirrus, Pyrrhus •chivalrous •citrous, citrus •ludicrous • tenebrous •Cyrus, Epirus, papyrus, virus •fibrous • hydrous • Cyprus •retrovirus • monstrous •brachiosaurus, brontosaurus, canorous, chorus, Epidaurus, Horus, megalosaurus, pelorus, porous, sorus, stegosaurus, Taurus, thesaurus, torus, tyrannosaurus •walrus •ochrous (US ocherous) •cumbrous • wondrous • lustrous •Algeciras, Severus •desirous •Arcturus, Epicurus, Honduras •barbarous • tuberous • slumberous •Cerberus • rapturous •lecherous, treacherous •torturous • vulturous • Pandarus •slanderous • ponderous •malodorous, odorous •thunderous • murderous •carboniferous, coniferous, cruciferous, melliferous, odoriferous, pestiferous, somniferous, splendiferous, umbelliferous, vociferous •phosphorous, phosphorus •sulphurous (US sulfurous) •Anaxagoras, Pythagoras •clangorous, languorous •rigorous, vigorous •dangerous • verdurous •cankerous, cantankerous, rancorous •decorous • Icarus • valorous •dolorous • idolatrous •amorous, clamorous, glamorous •timorous •humerus, humorous, numerous •murmurous • generous • sonorous •onerous • obstreperous • Hesperus •vaporous • viviparous • viperous •Bosporus, prosperous •stuporous • cancerous •Monoceros, rhinoceros •sorcerous • adventurous • Tartarus •nectarous • dexterous • traitorous •preposterous • slaughterous •boisterous, roisterous •uterus • adulterous • stertorous •cadaverous • feverous •carnivorous, herbivorous, insectivorous, omnivorous •Lazarus

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Free newspaper and magazine articles

Funfundzwanzig griechische Papyri aus den Sammlungen von Heidelberg, Wien und...
Magazine article from: The Journal of the American Oriental Society; 10/1/1998
Funfundzwanzig griechicsche Papyri aus den Sammlungen von Heidelberg, Wien...
Magazine article from: The Journal of the American Oriental Society; 10/1/1998
Wadi Daliyeh II: The Samaria Papyri from Wadi Daliyeh and Qumran Cave 4:...
Magazine article from: Hebrew Studies Journal; 1/1/2003

Facts and information from other sites

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papyrus. (Image by Hajor, CC)

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