When we talk about a book, we first of all present a well-known interwoven volume of paper.
This form is so familiar to us that it has become a definition of the function of various objects of a completely different purpose. For example, a sofa book, bookcase, bookcase. But the book as a source of information in antiquity had completely different forms. Texts were written (and sometimes beaten out) on stone, on clay tablets, on the skin of animals, knitted in knots on ropes. One form of an ancient book is a papyrus book rolled into a tube.
Papyrus
Papyrus is a plant in the sedge family that grows in places with high humidity. The papyrus grows up to 5 m; its stem is practically without leaves. In Egypt, papyrus was common in the Nile Delta. From the stems of the papyrus, the ancient Egyptians made material that was used for a wide variety of purposes. Making papyrus resembles weaving. Narrow strips of cut stems were laid on a smooth base: in the first layer - in one direction, in the second layer - in the other, perpendicular to the first. After this, a sheet of papyrus was placed under oppression, the layers were glued together with juice, which stood out under load.
The finished material was used for the manufacture of shoes, and for boats, and for rafts, and for shuttles. Papyrus was made in different varieties. From the August Hart to the Merchant Hart.
The August Hart (in honor of Emperor Augustus) was used to write the most important texts, the merchant hart was used as wrapping paper.
For us, the most interesting is a book from papyrus. The sheets stuck together and folded into a scroll. The scroll was rewound with a cord of papyrus and fastened with a clay seal, often in the form of a scarab. They were stored in special wooden boxes. Less important scrolls were stored in clay pots.
What was written in ancient books
On papyrus, they wrote with a cane stick, which was called "kalam." They wrote in black and red paint, which were laid out on a clay plate (palette).
The first characters of the line were necessarily written in red paint. From here came the expression "red line". Scientists now have many papyri at their disposal. The oldest papyrus found by archaeologists dates back to the XXVI century BC.
The variety of texts on ancient Egyptian papyrus is very large. This is a description of the construction of the pyramids, and stories about military campaigns, and scientific work. Biographies and acts of the pharaohs were described. A well-known book of papyrus, rolled up into a tube that talks about medicine. There are treatises on mathematics and military affairs. The Egyptians recorded teachings, tales, poems. The Brussels Museum houses a papyrus dedicated to solving crimes.
Papyrus in Ancient Greece
Before the advent of papyrus in Greece, they wrote mainly on wax and clay tablets, on clay shards. But wax and clay tablets are very short-lived. Yes, and you can’t write a lot on shards. Papyrus came to Greece from Egypt in the 7th century BC. e. and became the main material for writing. This caused great changes in the development of science and literature.
Scientists have found papyrus with the works of Hesiod, Sappho, Euripides, Sophocles, Euclid and others.
A papyrus book rolled into a tube is one of the attributes of the Greek muse of the history of Clio. In more ancient images, she holds a scroll of papyrus in her hands.
In Rome, papyrus appeared later, in the III century BC. e.
Later, papyrus was replaced with parchment - material from a specially treated skin.
Papyrology
The study of papyrus is the science of papyrology. It arose at the end of the XIX century, is engaged in the classification of not only papyrus, but also other ancient written sources, dating, classification, origin of papyrus. In accordance with the content, papyrus is divided into literary and business. They are also classified by date, place of discovery, type of letter used.
At the beginning of the twentieth century, scientific journals devoted to papyrology problems began to be published.
A book from a papyrus folded into a tube will tell us a lot of interesting things!