But the history of the invention of cardboard is practically not studied, and there is only fragmentary information about the development of a machine method for the production of cardboard in the late 18th - early 19th centuries. But at the same time, the question of the origin of "hard" paper remains open. It is known that the ancient Egyptians produced their paper long before the Chinese, based on the technology of processing papyrus.
Papyrus is a perennial non-woody aquatic plant that can grow up to 5 meters in height. In ancient Egypt, various household items were made from papyrus roots and used as fuel. The Egyptians made ropes and ropes, shoes for priests, belts, light boxes (possibly a prototype of modern corrugated packaging) and other items from papyrus stems. However, the most important use of papyrus was as a writing material. The oldest known papyrus scroll found in Heman's tomb is over 5,200 years old.
The Arab Egyptologist Mohammed Zakaria Ghoneima carried out archaeological excavations at Saqqara near Cairo. They discovered a previously unknown pyramid of the Egyptian pharaoh of the Third Dynasty (2750-2650 BC). The scientist points out that the burials belong to one of the ancient Libyan tribes. The most remarkable was the grave of a noble woman named Konefernefer, which means - Twice Beautiful Ka. Her head and shoulders were covered with a funeral mask made of plaster-covered canvas and cardboard.
The production of "hard" paper has been known for several millennia, and Egypt can be safely considered the birthplace of cardboard.