Lun’s paper used texture rags, bamboo fibers and the inner bark of mulberry trees. Historical records show that Cai Lun, an official at the Chinese Imperial Court, reported the invention of paper to the Chinese Emperor in the year 105 CE. Paper, as we know today, was invented in China during the Han Dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE). From the Far East to Europe via the Middle East In the Arab world as well, parchment remained the preferable choice for copying the Qur'an, and other important literary and scientific works. They were used in producing all the famous manuscripts and codices of that time. Also, the raw-material needed for making it―animal skin―was readily available everywhere and not limited to one geographic location or certain climatic conditions.ĭuring the period between the 4 th century and the 15 th century CE, parchments and vellums were the standard writing surfaces of Medieval European scribes. Parchment had many advantages over papyrus it was stronger and more durable. Then, it was polished smooth using pumice, and treated with talc or chalk as a final preparation for writing.
#When was papyrus invented skin
The animal skin was dried under tension―usually stretched on a wooden frame―after it was cleaned, de-haired and scraped. Finer types of parchment made from the skin of newly-born animals were referred to as vellums however, the two terms are currently used interchangeably. Parchments were made of processed animal skin-chiefly sheep, goats, and calves. In the 2 nd century BCE, at the ancient Greek city of Pergamum-currently Bergama in Turkey-parchment was introduced as a new writing surface. Nevertheless, it later became the main writing material used throughout the Greco-Roman Empire, though most records were still kept in Egypt owing to its dry climate that best preserved them. Because of its importance, papyrus paper making was a state monopoly in Egypt, and the method of its production was a closely guarded secret. The introduction of papyri revolutionized record-keeping and the accessibility of the written word, making it possible for us to look back and explore ancient times. The sheets were finally joined end-to-end to form papyri rolls.
After that, the sheets were pressed and smoothed to be ready as a writing surface no glue was needed to hold the split stalks together thanks to natural gum in the plant.
They were then dried, flattened and placed side by side in two layers one vertical and one horizontal. Ancient Egyptians made papyrus from a plant of the same name that grew in swamps around the Nile River.Īfter peeling the outer fibers, the core of the triangular, tall, thick multi-layered stalks of the papyrus plant were sliced and soaked in water to remove their sugary content. The word “paper” we use nowadays is derived from the Ancient Egyptian invention, papyrus, which is the first paper-like writing surface in human history. Since then, paper has gone through various stages of development, and is now available in various types and forms.
It was then, around 5000 years ago, that the Ancient Egyptians introduced writing on papyrus, the very first version of paper. At the very beginning, written records were carved on stone, clay, or wax. Then, imagine documentation without paper, and see how much we could have missed. Imagine the long human journey on Earth without documentation.
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