Farmer and painter Said Tarakhan, 60, draws on papyrus sheets at home in the village of al-Qaramous in Sharqiyah province, in Egypt's northern fertile Nile Delta region, northeast of the capital, on July 28, 2021. In the lush green fields of Egypt's fertile Delta Valley, farmers in the small village of In the lush green fields of Egypt's fertile Delta Valley, farmers in the small village of Al-Qaramus have kept alive the ancient Pharaonic tradition of making papyrus paper. In the 1970s, a plastic arts teacher taught the farmers how to reappropriate agricultural and artistic techniques dating back millenia to plant the valuable reed and transform it into brownish paper with ornate drawings and text. Al-Qaramus is now the largest hub of papyrus production nationwide, according to agricultural experts. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / AFP)

A woman lays out soaked thin strips of papyrus to form a sheet, before compression and drying at the workshop in the village of al-Qaramous in Sharqiyah province, in Egypt's northern fertile Nile Delta region, northeast of the capital, on July 28, 2021. In the lush green fields of Egypt's fertile Delta Valley, farmers in the small village of In the lush green fields of Egypt's fertile Delta Valley, farmers in the small village of Al-Qaramus have kept alive the ancient Pharaonic tradition of making papyrus paper. In the 1970s, a plastic arts teacher taught the farmers how to reappropriate agricultural and artistic techniques dating back millenia to plant the valuable reed and transform it into brownish paper with ornate drawings and text. Al-Qaramus is now the largest hub of papyrus production nationwide, according to agricultural experts. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / AFP)

Abdel Mobdi Moussalam, 48, carries papyrus reeds collected on his land in the village of al-Qaramous in Sharqiyah province, in Egypt's northern fertile Nile Delta region, northeast of the capital, on July 28, 2021. In the lush green fields of Egypt's fertile Delta Valley, farmers in the small village of In the lush green fields of Egypt's fertile Delta Valley, farmers in the small village of Al-Qaramus have kept alive the ancient Pharaonic tradition of making papyrus paper. In the 1970s, a plastic arts teacher taught the farmers how to reappropriate agricultural and artistic techniques dating back millenia to plant the valuable reed and transform it into brownish paper with ornate drawings and text. Al-Qaramus is now the largest hub of papyrus production nationwide, according to agricultural experts. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / AFP)

A woman cuts papyrus by a thread at the workshop in the village of al-Qaramous in Sharqiyah province, in Egypt's northern fertile Nile Delta region, some kilometres northeast of the capital on July 28, 2021. In the lush green fields of Egypt's fertile Delta Valley, farmers in the small village of In the lush green fields of Egypt's fertile Delta Valley, farmers in the small village of Al-Qaramus have kept alive the ancient Pharaonic tradition of making papyrus paper. In the 1970s, a plastic arts teacher taught the farmers how to reappropriate agricultural and artistic techniques dating back millenia to plant the valuable reed and transform it into brownish paper with ornate drawings and text. Al-Qaramus is now the largest hub of papyrus production nationwide, according to agricultural experts. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / AFP)

A woman cuts papyrus by a thread at the workshop in the village of al-Qaramous in Sharqiyah province, in Egypt's northern fertile Nile Delta region, some kilometres northeast of the capital on July 28, 2021. In the lush green fields of Egypt's fertile Delta Valley, farmers in the small village of In the lush green fields of Egypt's fertile Delta Valley, farmers in the small village of Al-Qaramus have kept alive the ancient Pharaonic tradition of making papyrus paper. In the 1970s, a plastic arts teacher taught the farmers how to reappropriate agricultural and artistic techniques dating back millenia to plant the valuable reed and transform it into brownish paper with ornate drawings and text. Al-Qaramus is now the largest hub of papyrus production nationwide, according to agricultural experts. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / AFP)

A woman cuts papyrus by a thread at the workshop in the village of al-Qaramous in Sharqiyah province, in Egypt's northern fertile Nile Delta region, some kilometres northeast of the capital on July 28, 2021. In the lush green fields of Egypt's fertile Delta Valley, farmers in the small village of In the lush green fields of Egypt's fertile Delta Valley, farmers in the small village of Al-Qaramus have kept alive the ancient Pharaonic tradition of making papyrus paper. In the 1970s, a plastic arts teacher taught the farmers how to reappropriate agricultural and artistic techniques dating back millenia to plant the valuable reed and transform it into brownish paper with ornate drawings and text. Al-Qaramus is now the largest hub of papyrus production nationwide, according to agricultural experts. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / AFP)

Farmer and painter Said Tarakhan, 60, draws on papyrus sheets at home in the village of al-Qaramous in Sharqiyah province, in Egypt's northern fertile Nile Delta region, northeast of the capital, on July 28, 2021. In the lush green fields of Egypt's fertile Delta Valley, farmers in the small village of In the lush green fields of Egypt's fertile Delta Valley, farmers in the small village of Al-Qaramus have kept alive the ancient Pharaonic tradition of making papyrus paper. In the 1970s, a plastic arts teacher taught the farmers how to reappropriate agricultural and artistic techniques dating back millenia to plant the valuable reed and transform it into brownish paper with ornate drawings and text. Al-Qaramus is now the largest hub of papyrus production nationwide, according to agricultural experts. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / AFP)

A woman (L) uses a thread to slice papyrus into thin strips which are soaked then laid out to form a sheet, before compression and drying at the workshop in the village of al-Qaramous in Sharqiyah province, in Egypt's northern fertile Nile Delta region, northeast of the capital, on July 28, 2021. In the lush green fields of Egypt's fertile Delta Valley, farmers in the small village of In the lush green fields of Egypt's fertile Delta Valley, farmers in the small village of Al-Qaramus have kept alive the ancient Pharaonic tradition of making papyrus paper. In the 1970s, a plastic arts teacher taught the farmers how to reappropriate agricultural and artistic techniques dating back millenia to plant the valuable reed and transform it into brownish paper with ornate drawings and text. Al-Qaramus is now the largest hub of papyrus production nationwide, according to agricultural experts. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / AFP)

A woman uses a thread to slice papyrus into thin strips at the workshop in the village of al-Qaramous in Sharqiyah province, in Egypt's northern fertile Nile Delta region, northeast of the capital, on July 28, 2021. In the lush green fields of Egypt's fertile Delta Valley, farmers in the small village of In the lush green fields of Egypt's fertile Delta Valley, farmers in the small village of Al-Qaramus have kept alive the ancient Pharaonic tradition of making papyrus paper. In the 1970s, a plastic arts teacher taught the farmers how to reappropriate agricultural and artistic techniques dating back millenia to plant the valuable reed and transform it into brownish paper with ornate drawings and text. Al-Qaramus is now the largest hub of papyrus production nationwide, according to agricultural experts. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / AFP)

A woman prepares papyrus to compress and dry it at the workshop in the village of al-Qaramous in Sharqiyah province, in Egypt's northern fertile Nile Delta region, some kilometres northeast of the capital on July 28, 2021. In the lush green fields of Egypt's fertile Delta Valley, farmers in the small village of In the lush green fields of Egypt's fertile Delta Valley, farmers in the small village of Al-Qaramus have kept alive the ancient Pharaonic tradition of making papyrus paper. In the 1970s, a plastic arts teacher taught the farmers how to reappropriate agricultural and artistic techniques dating back millenia to plant the valuable reed and transform it into brownish paper with ornate drawings and text. Al-Qaramus is now the largest hub of papyrus production nationwide, according to agricultural experts. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / AFP)

A woman uses a thread to slice papyrus into thin strips at the workshop in the village of al-Qaramous in Sharqiyah province, in Egypt's northern fertile Nile Delta region, northeast of the capital, on July 28, 2021. In the lush green fields of Egypt's fertile Delta Valley, farmers in the small village of In the lush green fields of Egypt's fertile Delta Valley, farmers in the small village of Al-Qaramus have kept alive the ancient Pharaonic tradition of making papyrus paper. In the 1970s, a plastic arts teacher taught the farmers how to reappropriate agricultural and artistic techniques dating back millenia to plant the valuable reed and transform it into brownish paper with ornate drawings and text. Al-Qaramus is now the largest hub of papyrus production nationwide, according to agricultural experts. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / AFP)

A woman uses a thread to slice papyrus into thin strips at the workshop in the village of al-Qaramous in Sharqiyah province, in Egypt's northern fertile Nile Delta region, northeast of the capital, on July 28, 2021. In the lush green fields of Egypt's fertile Delta Valley, farmers in the small village of In the lush green fields of Egypt's fertile Delta Valley, farmers in the small village of Al-Qaramus have kept alive the ancient Pharaonic tradition of making papyrus paper. In the 1970s, a plastic arts teacher taught the farmers how to reappropriate agricultural and artistic techniques dating back millenia to plant the valuable reed and transform it into brownish paper with ornate drawings and text. Al-Qaramus is now the largest hub of papyrus production nationwide, according to agricultural experts. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / AFP)

Abdel Mobdi Moussalam, 48 (R) and an assistant prepare soaked papyrus strips before compression and drying at the workshop in the village of al-Qaramous in Sharqiyah province, in Egypt's northern fertile Nile Delta region, northeast of the capital, on July 28, 2021. In the lush green fields of Egypt's fertile Delta Valley, farmers in the small village of In the lush green fields of Egypt's fertile Delta Valley, farmers in the small village of Al-Qaramus have kept alive the ancient Pharaonic tradition of making papyrus paper. In the 1970s, a plastic arts teacher taught the farmers how to reappropriate agricultural and artistic techniques dating back millenia to plant the valuable reed and transform it into brownish paper with ornate drawings and text. Al-Qaramus is now the largest hub of papyrus production nationwide, according to agricultural experts. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / AFP)

Abdel Mobdi Moussalam, 48, dries papyrus sheets at his workshop in the village of al-Qaramous in Sharqiyah province, in Egypt's northern fertile Nile Delta region, northeast of the capital, on July 28, 2021. In the lush green fields of Egypt's fertile Delta Valley, farmers in the small village of In the lush green fields of Egypt's fertile Delta Valley, farmers in the small village of Al-Qaramus have kept alive the ancient Pharaonic tradition of making papyrus paper. In the 1970s, a plastic arts teacher taught the farmers how to reappropriate agricultural and artistic techniques dating back millenia to plant the valuable reed and transform it into brownish paper with ornate drawings and text. Al-Qaramus is now the largest hub of papyrus production nationwide, according to agricultural experts. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / AFP)

A woman lays out soaked thin strips of papyrus to form a sheet, before compression and drying at the workshop in the village of al-Qaramous in Sharqiyah province, in Egypt's northern fertile Nile Delta region, northeast of the capital, on July 28, 2021. In the lush green fields of Egypt's fertile Delta Valley, farmers in the small village of In the lush green fields of Egypt's fertile Delta Valley, farmers in the small village of Al-Qaramus have kept alive the ancient Pharaonic tradition of making papyrus paper. In the 1970s, a plastic arts teacher taught the farmers how to reappropriate agricultural and artistic techniques dating back millenia to plant the valuable reed and transform it into brownish paper with ornate drawings and text. Al-Qaramus is now the largest hub of papyrus production nationwide, according to agricultural experts. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / AFP)

A woman uses a thread to slice papyrus into thin strips at the workshop in the village of al-Qaramous in Sharqiyah province, in Egypt's northern fertile Nile Delta region, northeast of the capital, on July 28, 2021. In the lush green fields of Egypt's fertile Delta Valley, farmers in the small village of In the lush green fields of Egypt's fertile Delta Valley, farmers in the small village of Al-Qaramus have kept alive the ancient Pharaonic tradition of making papyrus paper. In the 1970s, a plastic arts teacher taught the farmers how to reappropriate agricultural and artistic techniques dating back millenia to plant the valuable reed and transform it into brownish paper with ornate drawings and text. Al-Qaramus is now the largest hub of papyrus production nationwide, according to agricultural experts. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / AFP)

A woman uses a thread to slice papyrus into thin strips at the workshop in the village of al-Qaramous in Sharqiyah province, in Egypt's northern fertile Nile Delta region, northeast of the capital, on July 28, 2021. In the lush green fields of Egypt's fertile Delta Valley, farmers in the small village of In the lush green fields of Egypt's fertile Delta Valley, farmers in the small village of Al-Qaramus have kept alive the ancient Pharaonic tradition of making papyrus paper. In the 1970s, a plastic arts teacher taught the farmers how to reappropriate agricultural and artistic techniques dating back millenia to plant the valuable reed and transform it into brownish paper with ornate drawings and text. Al-Qaramus is now the largest hub of papyrus production nationwide, according to agricultural experts. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / AFP)

Abdel Mobdi Moussalam, 48, cuts papyrus reeds from his land in the village of al-Qaramous in Sharqiyah province, in Egypt's northern fertile Nile Delta region, northeast of the capital, on July 28, 2021. In the lush green fields of Egypt's fertile Delta Valley, farmers in the small village of In the lush green fields of Egypt's fertile Delta Valley, farmers in the small village of Al-Qaramus have kept alive the ancient Pharaonic tradition of making papyrus paper. In the 1970s, a plastic arts teacher taught the farmers how to reappropriate agricultural and artistic techniques dating back millenia to plant the valuable reed and transform it into brownish paper with ornate drawings and text. Al-Qaramus is now the largest hub of papyrus production nationwide, according to agricultural experts. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / AFP)

A woman lays out soaked thin strips of papyrus to form a sheet, before compression and drying at the workshop in the village of al-Qaramous in Sharqiyah province, in Egypt's northern fertile Nile Delta region, northeast of the capital, on July 28, 2021. In the lush green fields of Egypt's fertile Delta Valley, farmers in the small village of In the lush green fields of Egypt's fertile Delta Valley, farmers in the small village of Al-Qaramus have kept alive the ancient Pharaonic tradition of making papyrus paper. In the 1970s, a plastic arts teacher taught the farmers how to reappropriate agricultural and artistic techniques dating back millenia to plant the valuable reed and transform it into brownish paper with ornate drawings and text. Al-Qaramus is now the largest hub of papyrus production nationwide, according to agricultural experts. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / AFP)