Paper before Print: The History and Impact of Paper in the Islamic World

Preparation Steps

Original Recipe Text

While specific recipes for these early Transoxianan samples are not provided in the review, Bloom investigates the 'molecular structure of cellulose' as the fundamental material of paper (p. 1250). The practice is suggested to have spread alongside Buddhist traditions along the Silk Road (p. 1250).

Evidence

"Archaeological evidence suggests that paper existed and papermaking was practiced in Transoxiana well before the Islamic conquest; it may have been introduced in tandem with the gradual spread of Buddhism and Buddhist writings along the Silk Road."

Remarks

Bloom uses archaeological evidence to correct the traditional historical narrative that papermaking was first introduced to the region in 751 CE via Chinese prisoners at the Battle of Talas. He argues that paper production was established in Transoxiana prior to the Islamic expansion (p. 1250).