What are the various papers and inks used in Egyptian writing?

In ancient Egypt, writing was primarily done on papyrus, a material made from the pith of the papyrus plant. The papyrus was made into sheets that were then glued together to form scrolls or books.

The ink used for writing on papyrus was typically made from a mixture of carbon black, gum arabic, and water. This ink was usually black or dark brown in color.

In addition to papyrus, ostraca (pieces of pottery or stone) were also used for writing in ancient Egypt. These were often inscribed with ink or paint.

In later periods, parchment made from animal skins and ink made from iron gall were also used for writing in Egypt. Iron gall ink was made from tannin extracted from oak galls mixed with iron salts.

Overall, papyrus and carbon-based ink were the most common materials used for writing in ancient Egypt.

Papers:

- Papyrus:
- Made from the stems of the papyrus plant
- Flexible, lightweight, and durable
- Widely used throughout ancient Egypt

- Leather:
- Processed animal skin
- More expensive than papyrus
- Used for special documents or religious texts

- Cloth:
- Linen or cotton fabric
- Occasionally used for writing, particularly for personal letters

Inks:

- Carbon ink:
- Made from soot or charcoal
- Black or brown in color
- Used for most writing, including hieroglyphics, hieratic, and demotic

- Red ochre ink:
- Made from iron oxide
- Used for headings, titles, and special notations

- Blue ink:
- Made from ground lapis lazuli or copper ores
- Used for decoration and to emphasize important words

- Green ink:
- Made from malachite or verdigris
- Used for ornamentation and highlighting

- Gold ink:
- Made from ground gold particles
- Used for religious texts and royal decrees