Papyrus Museum

Founded in 1989 and managed by Corrado Basile, it offers a wide view of the papyrus’ history and its uses, contributing to the knowledge of the ancient art and some aspects of the history of Syracuse.

It collects: papyrus documents from the XV century BC. to the VIII century AC., papyrus produced in Syracuse in the 800’, boats from Ethiopia and Lake Chad, artefacts papyrus (ropes, mats, etc.), a herbarium including Cyperus papyrus gathered along the Nile, in the Lake Chad, in lake Hula (Israel) and in Sicily (Fiumefreddo and Syracuse), tools and materials for writing used by Egyptian scribes (mortars and pestles, antique presses, palettes, brushes, colors, etc.).

The museum not only takes care of recovery, conservation and spreading of the papyrus culture, but also of studies on the plant, of the manufacture of paper during the different ages and of conservation and restoration of ancient papyrus documents.