Ca. 323 BC-641 AD. Graeco-Roman Period. Fragments of papyrus inscribed with Greek text in black ink. Papyrus was a practical precursor to paper, predating parchment by millennia. Because of this, it was widely consumed throughout the Mediterranean as a writing surface, and Egypt effectively held a monopoly over this important product. It is manufactured by cutting up strips of the papyrus plant which grows along the Nile, and laying these strips side by side vertically, and then another layer is laid on top of them horizontally. These are then hammered together and dried under pressure. Papyri survive well in arid regions of Egypt, and much of today's knowledge about the ancient world (even parts beyond Egypt) comes from archives and dumps of papyri in Egypt. Greek was widely written in Egypt in the centuries after the conquest of Alexander the Great, and the subsequent rule of Greeks and Romans. Size: L:set of 3: 80mm, 185mm / W:55mm, 100mm ; 2.5g. From a London private family collection; formerly acquired on the UK art market in the 1960s - 1970s; thence by descent.