rag paper

Ingredients

recycled textiles, rags, cotton

Preparation Steps

Original Recipe Text

Arabic paper was historically produced using recycled textiles or rags, which differed from the wood pulp technology used in China (p. 103, Note 30). The raw material was significantly supported by the mass expansion of cotton cultivation and manufacturing in Baghdad during the eighth and ninth centuries, with cotton plantations spreading from India into Iraq and Syria (p. 103, Note 31). The city's extensive canal system provided the necessary water supply for the operation of these paper mills (p. 103).

Evidence

"The introduction of rag paper in the late eighth century set the necessary conditions for this development since it had cheapened the material base of book production. ... whereas in China, paper was produced using wood pulp, Arabic paper was produced using recycled textiles, or rags."

Remarks

The introduction of rag paper in the late 8th century was a pivotal technological shift that enabled a 'book revolution' in Baghdad. It provided a cheaper alternative to parchment (animal skins) or papyrus (imported from Egypt) (p. 103). This material was specifically noted for its safety in recording documents because the ink seeped into the rag fibers, making the text permanent and impossible to erase (p. 103). This innovation supported a massive surge in the book market, with around 100 bookshops recorded in Baghdad by the end of the 9th century (p. 103).