Papyrus - Hardcover

Gaudet, John

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 160598566X ISBN 13: 9781605985664

Publisher: Pegasus Books, 2014

Synopsis

At the center of the most vital human-plant relationship in history, Papyrus evokes the mysteries of the ancient world while holding the key to the world’s wetlands and atmospheric stability.

From ancient Pharaohs to 21st Century water wars, papyrus is a unique plant that is still one of the fastest growing plant species on earth. It produces its own “soil”―a peaty, matrix that floats on water―and its stems inspired the fluted columns of the ancient Greeks. In ancient Egypt, the papyrus bounty from the Nile delta provided not just paper for record keeping―instrumental to the development of civilization―but food, fuel and boats. Disastrous weather in the 6th Century caused famines and plagues that almost wiped out civilization in the west, but it was papyrus paper in scrolls and codices that kept the record of our early days and allowed the thread of history to remain unbroken. The sworn enemy of oblivion and the guardian of our immortality it came to our rescue then and will again.

Today, it is not just a curious relic of our ancient past, but a rescuing force for modern ecological and societal blight. In an ironic twist, Egypt is faced with enormous pollution loads that forces them to import food supplies, and yet papyrus is one of the most effective and efficient natural pollution filters known to man. Papyrus was the key in stemming the devastation to the Sea of Galilee and Jordan River from raging peat fires (that last for years), heavy metal pollution in the Zambezi River Copperbelt and the papyrus laden shores of Lake Victoria―which provides water to more than 30 million people―will be crucial as the global drying of the climate continues. 8 page insert, illustrations throughout.

About this title

From the Author:

Papyrus swamps are located today in areas that are underfire, or remote and difficult or costly to get to.  Preservationists andplanners are not likely to pay attention to the message that the Water Warsthat have started in Africa with a vengeance are killing people and theswamps.  Papyrus finds itself in between - to correct that image willrequire a walk on the wild side and that is where I come in and where theadventure begins as I take you on a stroll inside a modern papyrus swamp.
 

From the Back Cover:

"Bravo! Not only does The Plant That Changed the World tellyou everything about papyrus, it is a great read. The section on how to build apapyrus boat is hard to put down!  Theexplanation of just how crucial papyrus was to ancient Egypt's development ismasterfully and convincingly told.  Ilove the illustrations.  They explainedtomb painting I have been looking at for 40 years in ways I neverimagined."  -Bob Brier, Egyptologist known as "Mr. Mummy," author, TVhost, Great Courses "The History of Ancient Egypt," Senior ResearchFellow at Long Island University

About this edition

• Publisher: Pegasus Books
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 160598566X
• ISBN 13: 9781605985664
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 272