ABSTRACT
The profound disturbances in Egyptian civilization involved in the shift from absolute monarchy to a more democratic organization coincided with a shift in emphasis on stone as a medium of communication or as a basis of prestige, as shown in the pyramids, to an emphasis on papyrus. In contrast with stone, papyrus as a writing medium was extremely light. It was made from a plant (Cyperus papyrus) that was restricted in its habitat to the Nile delta, and was manufactured into writing material near the marshes where it was found. Writing on stone was characterized by straightness or circularity of line, rectangularity of form, and an upright position, whereas writing on papyrus permitted cursive forms suited to rapid writing. The shift from dependence on stone to dependence on papyrus and the changes in political and religious institutions imposed an enormous strain on Egyptian civilization.
