Papermaking in Europe: Xàtiva and Fabriano
Paper was invented in China, the Arabs learned to make it in the 8th century, and the craft reached Europe through Muslim Spain. In 1150 the geographer al-Idrisi wrote of the town of Xàtiva near Valencia that paper is made there such as cannot be found anywhere else, and is sent to the East and to the West. For another century the trade stayed in the hands of Muslim craftsmen; in Italy mills appeared at Fabriano in 1276.
By the end of the 14th century paper was being made in Italy, France, Spain and southern Germany, and it had displaced parchment for everyone but the wealthy.
Carter holds that printing would have been pointless without cheap paper: a single Gutenberg Bible on parchment took the skins of three hundred sheep.
Why this date
reliable as a lower bound. 1150 is the geographer al-Idrisi's testimony about paper from Xàtiva, the first clear mention of papermaking in Europe; Carter notes that the industry was already well established by then. In Italy the mills at Fabriano are known from 1276.
What it grew from
-
Paper as a cheap writing surface
prerequisite for · Confidence: high
The Chinese craft of paper passed to the Arabs, and from them to the Christians of Spain, from where Europe began making paper itself.
Link sources
- Carter T. F. «The Invention of Printing in China and Its Spread Westward», New York: Columbia University Press, 1925, p. 100 (1925), 100 Verified 4 Oct 2026
For the next five hundred years paper making in the West was an Arab monopoly till the Arabs in turn taught their Christian conquerors in Spain, and Christendom made ready to take the lead.
"Verified" means that on that day the quotation was found at the address given, word for word. No date means we have not been able to open the source yet, not that the quotation is wrong.
- Carter T. F. «The Invention of Printing in China and Its Spread Westward», New York: Columbia University Press, 1925, p. 100 (1925), 100 Verified 4 Oct 2026
What grew out of it
-
Movable-type printing press
prerequisite for · Confidence: high
Printing made sense only because by the 15th century Europe had plenty of cheap paper; on parchment the invention would have remained useless.
Link sources
- Carter T. F. «The Invention of Printing in China and Its Spread Westward», New York: Columbia University Press, 1925, p. 153 (1925), 153 Verified 4 Oct 2026
It was paper that made printing worth while.
- Carter T. F. «The Invention of Printing in China and Its Spread Westward», New York: Columbia University Press, 1925, p. 153 (1925), 153 Verified 4 Oct 2026
Without a cheaper material to print on, the invention of printing would have been abortive.
"Verified" means that on that day the quotation was found at the address given, word for word. No date means we have not been able to open the source yet, not that the quotation is wrong.
- Carter T. F. «The Invention of Printing in China and Its Spread Westward», New York: Columbia University Press, 1925, p. 153 (1925), 153 Verified 4 Oct 2026
Node sources
- Carter T. F. «The Invention of Printing in China and Its Spread Westward», New York: Columbia University Press, 1925, p. 100 (1925), 100 Verified 4 Oct 2026
It was in 1150 that El-Edrisi said of the city of Xativa
"Verified" means that on that day the quotation was found at the address given, word for word. No date means we have not been able to open the source yet, not that the quotation is wrong.