Cairo paper

Egypt
11th Century
Source: Radan, V. (2002). News from Samarqand: Islamic Papermaking. HIST 490, Spring 2002.
Recipe Details

Ingredients

linen, mummy wrappings

Preparation Steps

In Egypt, papermaking was closely associated with textile centers and large population hubs which provided a supply of rags (p. 10). Specifically, linen wrappings stripped from mummies were used as a source of fiber (p. 10). The abundance of paper in 11th-century Cairo allowed merchants to use it for wrapping merchandise (p. 8).

Original Recipe Text

In Egypt, papermaking was closely associated with textile centers and large population hubs which provided a supply of rags (p. 10). Specifically, linen wrappings stripped from mummies were used as a source of fiber (p. 10). The abundance of paper in 11th-century Cairo allowed merchants to use it for wrapping merchandise (p. 8).

Evidence

"In Egypt, mummies were striped off their wrappings for that purpose"

Remarks

The widespread availability of paper in Cairo made it a staple commodity even for commercial wrapping, yet the collection of raw materials such as mummy wrappings illustrates the logistical challenges of the trade (p. 8, 10).

Scientific Analysis
Certainty Level
Inferred
Instrumentally Verified
Not Verified
Metadata
Material Type
paper
Paper TypeCairo paper
RegionEgypt
Approx. Year1050
Source Information
AuthorRadan, V.
CollectionCairo
Language
N/A
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