Our tour van maneuvered the crowded Cairo streets to our final stop for the day: a papyrus shop. There we learned the art of making papyrus paper.
Gathering around a demonstration table, someone showed us a long papyrus plant. Taking a chunk of it, he cut off the outer green and then proceeded to slice it into thin strips. Then he took out a mallet and hammered the slices to compress it and make it stronger. Next, it was placed in water to soak for some time. Then he started laying out the strips in a crisscross pattern. Once complete, it was placed under a press, where it would stay for several days. Finally, it is dried in the sun. He ended his presentation by showing us the artwork they had for sale (the true reason we were there). While I had no interested in buying anything, I did find the demonstration education.
