Counterfeit Papyrus Roll

Fibre with small pieces of papyrus gummed together and wrapped with linen and with two clay seals. Rolls of this type are known as early as the middle of the nineteenth century and are made up of miscellaneous pieces of papyri, blank or, if inscribed, too small to sell. In the middle of the nineteenth century papyrus rolls became attractive antiquities for tourists who all sought to discover a copy of the Book of the Dead when it was unrolled. Likewise, the Book of the Dead still holds great appeal and many tourists buy replica sheets. Purchased in 1848 by Norwich Castle Museum but the source was not recorded.