New life given to ancient Egyptian texts stored at Stanford for decades

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Approximately 70 pieces from Stanfords papyri collection are being analyzed after being kept in storage since the 1920s.
Approximately 70 pieces from Stanford’s papyri collection are being analyzed after being kept in storage since the 1920s.
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They're torn and faded and have the woven texture of a flattened Triscuit. At first glance, the ancient Egyptian texts look like scraps of garbage. And more than 2,000 years ago, that's exactly what they were—discarded documents, useless contracts and unwanted letters that were recycled into material needed to plaster over mummies, like some precursor to papier-mâché.


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