Clay
Tabl
ets
Papy
rus
3100 BC 3000 BC
B am
boo b
o oks
Wax
Tabl
ets
Parc
hmen
t 1500 BC 500 BC 200 BC
Pape
rmak
ing in
china
Huun
Sama
r
105 BC 500 A.D. 751
kand
Pape
Paper Timeline
r T ra
vels t
o Euro
p e
1100
Pape
r mil
l in A
1690
meri
ca
Woo
d to P
aper
Pulp
1800
Clay Tablets -
3100BC
Clay tablets originate in Mesopotamia in the
Sumarian culture around 3100 BC. The Epic
of Gilgamesh, one of the best known stories
from this time period was found on twelve List of names, C2400-2300
Retrieved Oct, 2007 from
Clay tablets in King Ashurbanipal's library at www.slsa.sa.gov.au/exhibitions/treasures/claytablet.htm
Nineveh.
The Mesopotamian area is known for it’s river
and canal systems which provide a readily
available source for clay. Characters on the
tablets “are formed from the wedge-shaped
marks which a corner of the reed makes
when pressed into the damp clay - a style of
writing known as cuneiform.” (Historyworld)
After the clay dried it became a highly
durable material. While this form could
withstand many catastrophes such as fire, it
drawbacks were many. As rock drawings
gave way to clay tablets, so did clay tablets
to Papyrus.
Papyrus - 3000 BC
Clay tablets are impractical and difficult to work
with. Papyrus was easier to transport, and could be
produced separate from it’s use. The use of papyrus as a
writing material begins around 3000 BC. It is made from the
the papyrus plant which grew in abundance on the Nile.
The making of papyrus involves using the stem of
Papyrus Sheet being the plant. The stem is peeled into thin layers. These strips
formed. are layered at a right angle and pounded together until the
Retrieved Oct, 2007 from layers adhere to each other. Papyrus sheets differ from
www.pharaoh.de/papyrusinf paper in that the individual plant fibers do not mesh. The
o.html natural plant starch is enough to keep the layers together.
Papyrus sheets were often kept in scrolls for
storage. Since Papyrus is virtually acid free, it has an
indefinite shelf life. However, excessive moisture can cause
it to decay and excessive dryness can make it brittle. Aside
from the damage from physical manipulation, wars, and
weather related issues, papyrus found in ancient times can
be in nearly perfect condition.
Papyrus cont.
Although the distribution of papyrus was wide spread, political
pressures from Pergamum might have hastened the decline of
the medium. It is indicated that “the Library of Pergamum (in
what is now Turkey) threatened to overtake the celebrated
Library of Alexandria as the best library in the world, claiming the
largest collection of papyrus rolls. As a result, the Egyptians
ceased the supply of papyrus to Pergamum, so the
Pergamenians invented an alternative writing material,
parchment, which is made from thin layers of animal
skin”(Langville and Meyer) The specific location of this material,
over harvesting, a climate change, and these political
maneuverings eventually lead to the end of papyrus as a writing
material.
Although papyrus is a symbol of life in the ancient word the plant
known as “Cyperus papyrus has become virtually extinct from
present-day Egypt as a naturally thriving plant.” (Ryan)
From the “Books of the Dead”
Bamboo Books - 1500
BC
”Thirty-Six Strategies”
The Chinese are well known for their
innovation with paper. However,
they had developed an even earlier
writing material. Bamboo Books are
strips of bamboo which were
written on vertically. These strips
were linked together to form a
book. The modern Chinese symbol
“evolves from a pictogram of
bamboo strips threaded together.” “The Art of War” A Bamboo book unfolded
(HistoryWorld)
Wax Tablets - 500 BC
Wax tablets, were used mostly for casual correspondence such as record
keeping, or letters. There were made from a block of wood that had
been hollowed out to create a recess, which was then filled with wax.
The wax could then be melted in order to reuse the tablet. A sharp
stylus was used in writing. Two or more individual tablets could be
joined by lacing to form something similar to the codex.
Evidence of wax tablets have been found throughout the Roman empire.
They have been found as far north as Britain, also into Russia, and in
Pompeii.
The Trawsfynydd Roman Will
Phoenician Wax Tablet
Retrieved Oct, 2007 from Retrieved Oct, 2007 from
http://phoenicia.org/imgs/logbook.jpg
Parchment - 200 BC
The rivalry between Eumenes II of the Pergamum library and King
Ptolemy of the Alexandrian library is credited in initiating the
invention of parchment.
Parchment became the standard writing material in Europe for Skins Being Stretched in
nearly 1000 years. Preparation
Parchment is made from animal skin that has been treated by Retrieved Oct, 2007 from
soaking it in a liquor bath. This allows for the de-hairing of the http://www.stam.net/tefilli
skin. As well as ensuring it’s pliability. Tannins are added to aid n_in_detail.html
in preserving. Parchment made during this time have very low
acid levels which allows for it’s ability to be preserved
indefinitely.
Although the words Parchment and Vellum are used
interchangeably, true Vellum is made specifically of calf skin.
This enables the skin to be relatively free from marks which
results in a material that tends to be of a higher quality than
average parchment.
The use of Parchment marks the widespread use of the codex book
form.
The use of Parchment as a writing material never completely died
Retrieved Oct, 2007 from
www.elcivics.com/declaration_independence.html
Huun/Amatl - 500 AD
Dresden Codex
Retrieved Oct, 2007 Amate Fig Tree
http://www.religionfacts.com/mayan_religion/index.htm
Retrieved Oct, 2007 from
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amatl
Huun was developed in South America independent of the paper
making activities in China, and Europe. The Mayan civilization
made this cloth like paper from the inner bark of various fig trees.
It was later adapted by the Aztecs and is better known by the
name of Amatl.
It’s preparation is similar to that of traditional paper. The bark is
soaked and then pounded. “These pieces of bark are cut into
strips which are easily joined together by beating the bark again.”
(Von Hagen) This suggest that the fibers do mesh as with their
paper counterpart. The end product is a cloth like material which
indeed the Mayan’s used as for clothing, as well as for writing, in
religious ceremonies, and for Tribute.
Three major codices have been proven to be made from this paper;
The Dresden Codex, The Tro-Cortesianus Codex, and The
Peresianus Codex.
Paper - China 105 BC
The invention of paper is credited to a Chinese court official named Ts’ai Lun.
However some archeological evidence shows that paper existed nearly 200
years earlier. “Ancient paper pieces from the Xuanquanzhi ruins of Dunhuang in
China's northwest Gansu province apparently were made during the period of
Emperor Wu who reigned between 140 BC and 86 BC.”(Georgia Tech)
Initially paper was made from a slurry created from pounded Mulberry and water.
The slurry is drained through a screen made from bamboo reeds. “Chinese
papermakers developed a number of specialties, including sizing (making the
paper ink-proof), coating, and dyeing.” (Tschudin)
Paper spreads from China to Korea and Japan. In Japan they refine the skill to an
art, and continue to make some of the finest paper today.
Retrieved Oct, 2007 from
www.paperhistory.org/chi
na.htm
Samarkand - 751 AD
The battle at Samarkand in 751 AD marks an
important note in the history of paper.
During the battle between the Chinese and
Arabs, Chinese prisoners were taken. With
these Chinese prisoners, the knowledge of
papermaking begins it’s travel westward.
From there the knowledge of paper travels
to Baghdad, northern Africa, and arrived in
Europe in the 10th century.
The Path of Paper
Retrieved Oct, 2007
From http://www.justpacific.com/pacific/papers/barkcloth~paper.html
Paper - Europe
Paper took nearly five centuries to travel from the Middle East, to
Europe. “Early paper was at first disfavored by the Christian
world as a manifestation of Moslem culture, and a 1221 decree
from Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II declared all official
documents written on paper to be invalid.” (Georgia Tech)
The first European Paper Mill was established in 1151 AD in
Xativa, Spain. These Paper Mills paved the way for the Printing
Press. European’s used cotton rags instead of plants for their
paper material. Rags were cleaned, separated for color, and
then pounded until the fibers came apart. A slurry was then
made from these cotton fibers. The whiter the paper the more
highly it was regarded.
The Printing Press, developed in the 1430’s by Johannes
Gutenberg, hastened the change from papyrus to paper.
Paper Mill
Retrieved Oct, 2007 from
www.herisem.be
Paper - Rags to Wood
Paper mills came to America in the late 1600’s. “The first paper
mill in America was established in 1690 by William Rittenhouse
near Germantown, Pennsylvania. In 1688, Rittenhouse left
Holland, where he had been an apprentice papermaker, and
settled in Philadelphia, near the print shop of William
Bradford. The Rittenhouse mill remained the only mill in
America until 1710.”(Georgia Tech)
Eventually rags became short in supply, and alternative materials
had to be found. Once wood was found to be acceptable, it
quickly took over as the material of choice making paper.
However, the natural acid, lignin, along with the chemicals
used to treat the pulp created such a high acid content that
many pages made during the industrial revolution have literally
burned themselves up.
In America, women were often used for this task as
Rag separating room. cheap labor.
Retrieved Oct, 2007 from Retrieved Oct, 2007 from
www.neenahlibrary.org/industryphoto.htm www.mainepreservation.com/dayswork/dayswork8.s
html
References
• Di Curci, M The History and Technology of Parchment Making. Retrieved Oct, 2007 from
http://www.sca.org.au/scribe/articles/parchment.htm
• Langville, N., Meyer, C.D. Google's PageRank and Beyond:The Science of Search Engine
Rankings. Princeton, 2006
• History World Retrieved Oct, 2007 from
www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=aa92
• Ryan, D. The Biblical Archaeologist. Vol. 51, No. 3. (Sep., 1988), pp. 132-140. Retrieved Oct, 2007
from
http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=00060895%28198809%2951%3A3%3C132%3
P% E2.0.CO%3B2-%23
• Tschudin, P. F. Paper. Berkshire Encyclopedia of World History, 2005, Vol. 4, p. 1423
• University of Michigan. Papyrus making 101
http://www.lib.umich.edu/pap/exhibits/papyrus_making/pm_intro.html
• Von Hagen, V.W. The Aztec and Maya Papermakers New York:J.J. Augustin Publishing.
• Georgia Tech. Robert C Williams Paper Museum. Retrieved Oct, 2007 from
http://www.ipst.gatech.edu/amp/collection/museum_invention_paper.htm