Plant
Cyperus papyrus, a wetland sedge.
(Origin of the Bible handout by my small group leader, February 8, 2023. Page 1.)
Writing Surface
Used in ancient times as a writing surface. It was made from the pith of the papyrus plant. It was kept as rolls or codices (codex).
Papyrus was relatively cheap and easy to produce, but it was fragile and susceptible to both moisture and excessive dryness. It was also an irregular surface for writing on, and the range of media that could be used on it was limited.
(Origin of the Bible handout by my small group leader, February 8, 2023. Summarized from Wikipedia. Page 1-2.)
History
It was first known to have been used in Egypt's First Dynasty. The plant was abundant across the Nile Delta at that time.
Papyrus was first manufactured in Egypt as far back as the 4th millennium B.C.
The earliest archaeological evidence of papyrus was excavated in 2012-2013 at Wadi al-Jarf. The documents, the Diary of Merer, date from circa 2560-2550 B.C., from the end of Khufu's reign.
Papyrus rolls were replaced by writing surfaces like parchment and vellum. It was barely used after the A.D. 700s, except for things like papal decrees.
(Origin of the Bible handout by my small group leader, February 8, 2023. Summarized from Wikipedia. Page 1.)