Papyrus is a thick paper-like material produced from the pith of a wetland sedge that was once abundant in the Nile Delta of Egypt. Papyrus usually grows 5-9 feet tall, although it can reach up to 15 feet.

Papyrus is first known to have been used in First dynasty ancient Egypt. Ancient Egypt used this plant for boats, mattresses, mats and paper.

The sticky fibrous inner pith is cut lengthwise into thin strips of about 40 cm long. The strips are then placed side by side on a hard surface with their edges slightly overlapping, and then another layer of strips is laid on top at a right angle. While still moist, the two layers are hammered together, mashing the layers into a single sheet. The sheet is then dried under pressure.

The modern technique of papyrus production used in Egypt for the tourist trade was developed in 1962 by the Egyptian engineer Hassan Ragab using plants that had been reintroduced into Egypt in 1872 from France.