الورق، القرطاس

Evidence

"ولم يكن المجتمع النجدي بعيداً عن هذه المؤشرات العلمية المتمثلة في وجود مكون ذلك، وهو الورق أو ما يطلق عليه في نجد غالباً القرطاس... ووفق علم الباحث ليست صناعة الورق مما يعرفه النجديون أو يمارسونه، لهذا كان العالم أو الناسخ النجدي يدرك مدى قيمة مكونات المخطوط"

Remarks

The study clarifies that paper production was not a local industry in Najd. The material, referred to locally as 'Al-Qirtas' (القرطاس) or 'Al-Waraq' (الورق), was primarily imported from the Hijaz or from the eastern regions of the Arabian Peninsula (p. 74). Due to the high cost and difficulty of procurement, paper was considered a precious commodity; it was frequently exchanged as a high-value gift between imams, scholars, and students, such as the instance recorded of Imam Faisal bin Turki sending paper to the historian Ibn Bishr (p. 75). Scribes in the region were noted for their careful use of the material to ensure that no portion of the valuable imported sheets was wasted (p. 74).