Egypt papyrus makers keep tradition alive despite tourism slump

Egypt papyrus makers keep tradition alive despite tourism slump

In the 1970s, an art teacher in the village of Al-Qaramus taught farmers the millennia-old techniques for transforming the plant into sought-after paper decorated with ornate drawings and text.

 Farmer and painter Said Tarakhan draws on papyrus sheets at home. AFP

The village and its surrounds, located about 80 kilometres (50 miles) northeast of Cairo, now make up the largest hub of papyrus production in the country, experts in the sector say.

Once used by ancient Egyptians as writing paper, local artists now decorate the papyrus with hieroglyphics, Arabic calligraphy and representations from antiquity and nature to create souvenirs for eager visitors.

Today, Al-Qaramus has 25 farms trying to make ends meet by selling papyrus, compared to around 500 prior to the revolution, according to farmer and artist Said Tarakhan.

 It will return

The papyrus plant, with its fan-shaped foliage, grows in water and can reach four meters (13 feet) in height. Its form has served as inspiration for decorating the columns of ancient Egyptian temples.

 A woman, left, uses a thread to slice papyrus into thin strips which are soaked then laid out to form a sheet. AFP

To make paper, workers use wire to cut the stems into thin strips, which are immersed in water and