Egypt: Old Kingdom May 2026

The oldest known papyrus roll was discovered in a tomb at , dating back to approximately 2900 BCE , just before the start of the Old Kingdom.

Once dried and smoothed with a stone or shell, these sheets were often glued together to form scrolls exceeding 30 feet in length. Role in the Old Kingdom Egypt: Old Kingdom

It was made from the pith (inner marrow) of the Cyperus papyrus plant, which grew abundantly in the Nile Delta. The oldest known papyrus roll was discovered in

Papyrus was essential for the , enabling the management of the vast resources required for monumental projects like the pyramids. Papyrus was essential for the , enabling the

In the context of the (c. 2686–2181 BCE), "paper" refers to papyrus , the world's first writing material . While true paper was later invented in China, the Egyptians pioneered the use of the papyrus plant to create a durable, flexible surface for record-keeping and literature. The Invention of Papyrus