Literary notes about papyrus (AI summary)
The term “papyrus” has functioned both as a literal substance and as a rich metonym in literature, symbolizing the bridge between ancient craftsmanship and the transmission of knowledge. In historical narratives, it appears as the tangible medium for recording and preserving culture—a material that built the world’s first libraries in Egypt [1] and served practical purposes from boat construction to preserving manuscripts [2, 3]. Papyrus also evokes mystery and transformation: it is depicted as a relic bearing unknown characters on ancient scrolls [4] and as a processable substance that shifts from its raw form to something as refined as “silk” [5]. Additionally, literary texts employ papyrus metaphorically to denote the enduring qualities of tradition and wisdom, whether in references that merge the physical with the digital age [1] or in nuanced literary allusions by authors like Dante and Poe, who use the term to layer their narratives with historical and symbolic significance [6, 7, 8].
- From papyrus to bits and bytes ——————————————— Around 1500 B.C., the world's first library was established in Tell el Amaran, Egypt.
— from The Online World by Odd De Presno - They make one steering-oar for it, which is passed through the bottom of the boat; and they have a mast of acacia and sails of papyrus.
— from An Account of Egypt by Herodotus - They make one steering-oar for it, which is passed through the bottom of the boat; and they have a mast of acacia and sails of papyrus.
— from The History of Herodotus — Volume 1 by Herodotus - He discovered figures of Buddha, a piece of papyrus with unknown characters, vestiges of habitations.
— from The Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 1 by Marco Polo and da Pisa Rusticiano - The paste thus arising was called papyrus in its primary state, and went through a variety of processes until it finally became “silk.”
— from The Works of Edgar Allan Poe, The Raven Edition by Edgar Allan Poe - Stripping off the papyrus, we found the flesh in excellent preservation, with no perceptible odor.
— from The Works of Edgar Allan Poe, The Raven Edition by Edgar Allan Poe - [658] Papyrus :
— from The Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri: The Inferno by Dante Alighieri - This, however, does not prove that Dante may not so use it in this instance, adopting it from the Latin papyrus .
— from The Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri: The Inferno by Dante Alighieri
