According to the Chinese chronicles, paper was invented in 105 AD, while the history of writing began much earlier, as early as 6 thousand BC. At first, the ancient people used natural materials for writing, some carved inscriptions directly on the rocks, then various peoples (Egyptians, Sumerians, ancient Greeks and Romans) began to invent their own writing material. Researchers identify 2 main groups of materials for ancient writing.
Solid materials
This group includes: stone, metal, bone, wood, ceramics. The science that studies ancient inscriptions on solid materials is called epigraphy. The most popular materials used by most peoples were wood and stone. At first, oak and lime boards were used, then they began to whitewash, covering with a layer of gypsum. It is interesting that the Latin word liber, which means "book" in translation, has another meaning - oak. That is why many specialized scientists are inclined to believe that the book bears this name, because the ancients wrote it on wood.
Various metals were also used for writing. For example, the ancient Greeks wrote magic spells on small lead plates to scare away evil spirits. The Romans engraved the laws and decrees of the Senate on bronze plates. War veterans of the Roman army, retiring, received something like a document of privileges, which was also drawn on two bronze plates. In addition, they even learned how to make inlaid inscriptions by inserting letters cast from metal into a depression in metal or stone. Wanting to enhance the effect of solemnity, Roman craftsmen used various materials and options for their combination: copper letters on a stone, silver on copper, gold on silver.
Soft materials
The hard materials were quite durable, but also difficult to use. Each stroke took time and considerable effort. Therefore, the ancient people came up with many ways to write on other, more comfortable and softer materials. Writings made on soft material are called manuscripts, and the science that studies them is paleography.
The first technology for making papyrus was invented by the Egyptians. They managed to make it quite thin and white, although over time it tended to turn yellow. Then individual sheets of papyrus were glued into scrolls, the longest was Harris's papyrus, about 45 m.
The inhabitants of Mesopotamia most often used clay for writing, which was abundant on their territory. From it they made tablets (33 * 32 cm, 2.5 cm thick), which scientists now call tablets. In ancient India, palm leaves were dried, and in China silk was used as a written material. In many countries, wooden planks were also used, which were covered with wax.
But perhaps one of the most common soft materials was parchment, which began to be made in the Pergamon kingdom in the 2nd century BC. from the skins of kids, lambs and calves. The technology for making parchment was quite expensive and laborious, but the material was soft, flexible and not brittle, unlike papyrus, and besides, it was possible to write on it from both sides.
