Paper - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Paper - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: "History

Papyrus and parchment

Outside Egypt, parchment or vellum, made of processed sheepskin or calfskin, replaced papyrus as the papyrus plant requires subtropical conditions to grow.

In America, archaeological evidence indicates that a similar parchment writing material was invented by the Mayans no later than the 5th century AD.[1] Called amatl, it was in widespread use among Mesoamerican cultures until the Spanish conquest. The parchment is created by boiling and pounding the inner bark of trees, until the material becomes suitable for art and writing.

These materials are made from pounded reeds and bark and is technically not true paper, which is made from pulp, rags, and fibers of plants and cellulose.

Early papermaking in China
The world's earliest known printed book (using woodblock printing), the Diamond Sutra of AD 868, shows the widespread availability and practicality of paper in China.
The world's earliest known printed book (using woodblock printing), the Diamond Sutra of AD 868, shows the widespread availability and practicality of paper in China.

Papermaking is considered to be one of the Four Great Inventions of Ancient China, since the first papermaking process was developed in China during the early 2nd century. During the Shang (1600 BC–1050 BC) and Zhou (1050 BC–256 BC) dynasties of ancient China, documents"