what is a papyrus

Papyrus is a material similar to thick paper that was used in ancient times as a writing surface. It was made from the pith of the papyrus plant, Cyperus papyrus, a wetland sedge. The word "papyrus" refers to both the writing support invented by the ancient Egyptians and the plant from which they made this material. Papyrus was used for various purposes in ancient Egypt, but its most important function was as a writing material. It was the most popular writing material for the ancient Greeks and was also used for the New Testament in the early centuries after the death of Jesus. Papyrus production in Egypt continued to some extent until around 1100 AD.