A "scroll" is a long piece of material, often made from parchment, papyrus, or paper, that is rolled up for storage and unrolled for reading. Historically, scrolls were used to record texts, such as religious scriptures, literature, and administrative documents. They were common in ancient civilizations, including Egypt and Greece. Scrolls are typically written on one side and can be quite lengthy, allowing for extensive information to be contained in a compact form. The use of scrolls declined with the invention of the codex, which is a book format that is easier to handle and read. Today, scrolls are often associated with historical artifacts and are studied in fields like archaeology and history.