The giant marsh reed papyrus (Cyperus papyrus) was used to make paper all throughout the Pharaonic history and is still attested in the early Islamic Period. The earliest example of a papyrus roll was found in the First Dynasty tomb of Hemaka (Saqqara, Emery 1938: 41). The latest is so far datable 1087 AD (Arabic document, Pattie/Turner 1974: 7). However, production had already declined in the seventh and eighth centuries AD, when animal skins (parchment) and cloth-based paper became common. Papyrus was one of the main export articles of Egypt.

making of papyrus | size and format | rolls against books (codex)