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 rolls were common and many were up to 100 feet in length.
Papyrus was used for centuries until about 1100 AD. The very dry and hot climate in Egypt has preserved many of the ancient writings which have been excavated in towns and necropolisis. In addition to writing, papyrus was used in antiquity for making tables and furniture, mats, baskets, boxes, sandals and a huge array of items. The root of the plant was prized for its medicinal and nutritional properties along with perfume making.
During certain periods of Egyptian history, cartonnage , was used in the process of mummification. The corpes were wrapped in linen and covered in plaster painted in bright colors. The cartonnage was made with layers of papyrus.
Photo: Courtesy Phil Kolman