 |
|
|
|
Origins of cultivation
Papyrus has been cultivated along the Nile delta region since the time of the ancient Egyptians. Papyrus is not paper in the sense that we know it today. It was used as a writing material by the Egyptian Arabs until the 8th and 9th centuries, when fibres to make paper came into use. By the 3rd century, imported papyrus was being replaced in Europe by vellum or parchment (derived from animal skins). This was cheaper in north-western Europe, although papyrus continued to be used occasionally for books and documents until the 12th century.
Bamboos have been gathered from the wild and cultivated for construction and paper-making, especially in China, since ancient times. Writing strips made of bamboo were unearthed in China, dating back to the Zhou Dynasty (1100-300 BC).
|
|
|
