Hand-painted papyrus depicting an ancient Egyptian agricultural scene. - Material: Papyrus - Technique: Hand-painted - Theme: Ancient Egyptian agricultural scene - Size: Approximately 33cm x 25cm This is genuine Egyptian papyrus paper, made from the fibers of the stems of the papyrus plant, which was used as a writing medium in ancient Egypt. Papyrus greatly contributed to the development of ancient Egyptian civilization from around 3000 BC. It is also the origin of the English word "paper," but strictly speaking, it is classified as a "writing material" rather than "paper." It is lightweight, easy to handle, and durable, making it easy to write on, but it also has the disadvantage of being weak to bending.