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Long Papyrus scrolls
#1
Hello all,

Sparked by a listing under the Marketplace heading I was reminded of a question. I recall hearing somewhere that long Papyrus scrolls were actually sheets sewn together. Does anyone know if this is true, and if it was, how it was done?

Thank you in advance.

Cordially,

Michael
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Michael
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#2
Why should they be sewn together? You know how papyrus is made? If yes then you would know how a long roll is made.
There is no sewing neccesary at all. Sewing would just make a thick ugly joint.
Martin J.
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#3
Glued would be more likley for rolls. The Romans had well developed glue technology. Sewn was used for binding into books/booklets but this was more popular in later periods starting with the Coptic Christians in 2nd Century AD Egypt and spreading with Christianity throughout the Empire.
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#4
Thank you both,

Martin your tone comes across a bit unfriendly :? ) ) involved.

John, Glue is obviously also possible, but that would present some horrendous problems based on my experiences with hide glue. The paper formed was pretty valuable and any mistakes with glue results in wasted sheets. Mistakes with sewing are easily fixed. I know that the Romans were good with all manner of fixatives, but they also did not 'reinvent the wheel' if local customs worked, the Romans continued them. The Egyptians had been making paper for a long time before the Romans arrived.

The full Pliny quote mentioned above is included below for consideration. Does anyone else know of any sewn or glued long examples?

Cordially,

Michael

"Paper of whatever grade is fabricated on a board moistened with water from the Nile: the muddy liquid serves as the bonding force. First there is spread flat on the board a layer consisting of strips of papyrus running vertically, as long as possible, with their ends squared off. After that a cross layer completes the construction. Then it is pressed in presses, and the sheets thus formed are dried in the sun and joined one to another, (working) in declining order of excellence down to the poorest. There are never more than twenty sheets in a roll. "
Pliny the Elder, Natural History, XIIII, 23
Mediocris Ventvs Qvod Seqvax Maris

Michael
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#5
I would second they are glued together. Don't know the details, though.

I know Forum Traiani sells papyrus scrolls up to 20 sheets (160inches) [url:36i8m2hc]http://www.der-roemer-shop.de/Schriftrollen-Volumenrollen:::5_16.html[/url]
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