Paper and papyrus are not the same thing. The difference between paper and papyrus is that paper is made from the separated fibers of many materials that are soaked to produce thin sheets of matted fibers. Papyrus is a laminated material made from strips of the cypress plant. The similarities of paper and papyrus are that they are both used to write and draw on.
Papyrus was first used in about 4000 B.C. by the ancient Egyptians. Papyrus is a long, thin weed, that grew along the Nile River in Lower Egypt. Papyrus became the symbol for ancient Lower Egypt. Ancient Egyptians used papyrus to draw artwork and to write letters. The oldest books that we use today were made from papyrus. Papyrus was even used to make furniture and boats. Papyrus later became one of Egypt's major exports.
In 105 A.D. in China, T's ai Lun, a court official, invented paper. When paper making came to Egypt, the use of papyrus slowed down and stopped. In 1965 an Egyptian scientist discovered the lost secret of hand-making papyrus. When he found the lost secret of hand-making papyrus, it soon became an important Egyptian craft again. From then on people throughout the years have used papyrus for paintings and to write letters on.
References
I got my references at:
Papyrus. January 29, 2001. http://www.beshay.com/paphist.html
