Process from Papyrus to Paper
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Origins of Papyrus
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It is difficult to pinpoint the precise development of paper historically, because several cultures worked on creating what we know as paper, and many began or ended at various times. However, the most famous and influential precursor of paper is Egyptian papyrus, first invented along the banks of the Nile at least 5,000 years ago.
Papyrus is made from river reeds, known today as Cyperous Papyrus, that once grew along the Nile river. Egyptians soon discovered that they could cut these reeds into thin strips, and then weave the strips into cross sections that formed mats. The mats were pounded flat and then left to dry in the hot sun. The resulting material was light enough to be used as a handy writing surface, thin enough to be stored easily, and strong enough to last years and years in the dry desert conditions of Egypt.
Creation of Paper
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Other cultures across the world developed similar writing materials, but these were not true paper, and were more similar to the classical materials used later in the Greek and Roman civilizations. The processes used to make these scrolls were greatly refined, and yielded different grades of materials in different colors and delicacies. Papyrus reeds were still the primary ingredient, giving the Egyptian civilization excellent business in its waning years.
The origins of modern-day paper began in China around 100 A.D. For many years, the Chinese used a type of silk cloth to hold their sacred writings, such as the famous Taoist texts of Lao Tzu. Chemical experiments conducted by the Chinese, often in hopes of finding an elixir of immortality, led to a number of fascinating discoveries. Among them was the ability to split plant materials, such as wood from trees, into its individual fibers--the most important part of creating paper. The process, created by T'sai Lun, was very similar to the method used to create paper today. After being cut and split apart into individual fibers, the fibers were mixed with a water solution in a vat, then drained on a screen, allowing the fibers to be pressed and re-bonded into paper.
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Spread of Paper Manufacturing
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After several centuries, this process spread west through the wars with the Islamic Empire, which managed to capture some of the Chinese paper makers. By this time, Europe was using mostly parchment, a refined type of cured animal skin, to write Biblical texts on. When the Moors invaded Spain in the 12th century, the ability to make paper was one of the many pieces of knowledge passed on to European kingdoms. Parchment was still very common until the 15th and 16th centuries, during which invention of a practical printing press made the everyday use of paper feasible.
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