A special thank you to Maria Wilson, a fellow traveler, who contributed the story of this beautiful painting done on papyrus. On the left is the god Horus. This falcon headed god is the son of Osiris, the lord of the underworld and god of the dead. Horus is the most important god for Pharaoh because pharaoh is the living incarnation of Horus on … [Read more...] about The Eye of Horus
Ready for the Novel!
After three days or so, remove the papyrus sheet from the press, and it is ready for that artwork, letter, or even doing your taxes! You can see how beautiful and transparent the papyrus sheet is when held up to the light. In ancient times, several sheets were joined end to end to form a roll. These … [Read more...] about Ready for the Novel!
Pressing Papyrus
The wet sheet is then placed between two sheets of absorbent material (the blue fabric) and placed in the press. The young man demonstrating cranked hard on the handles to really get a good pressing. It must remain here for at least 72 hours for all the liquid to release. Photo: Courtesy Phil Kolman … [Read more...] about Pressing Papyrus
Papyrus Weavings
Before you begin to lay the strips out, they must be rolled flat with the rolling pin. This will remove most of the excess water. In this partially woven sheet you can easily see how the strips are placed one after the other to form a durable sheet. Any size is possible if you have long reeds and sufficient tools. The piece is surprisingly … [Read more...] about Papyrus Weavings
Papyrus to Paper
What would it be like to have to make each piece of paper before you write a letter or begin a novel or create a work of art? This is exactly the task the ancient Egyptians had to perfect before each project was initiated. Sheets of papyrus required specific tools and skills to complete this laborious task. We spent a … [Read more...] about Papyrus to Paper
Moon Over Kom Ombo
This temple of Kom Ombo is set dramatically on a hill overlooking a bend in the Nile. This Greco-Roman style temple is Egypt's only double temple where everything is doubled and perfectly symmetrical along a central axis. The twin entrances, twin courts, and twin colonnades are all dedicated to both Sobek, the crocodile god and … [Read more...] about Moon Over Kom Ombo