Writing Material

[Rameses the Great]

For some reason not many historical accounts talk about what the Romans wrote on. Papyrus was the first thing to come to my mind, but they are not really mentioned. Stone tablets are another thing but it must have been hard to write and get things across. Greece and Phoenicia used papyrus as their main use of writing but did the Romans?

 

Any comments?

[longbow]

The Vindolonda tablets are made from very thin slices of wood.They allso used a stylus to write into wax tablets,once the orders or message have been read the wax can be wiped clean and used again,like an exersketch .

[Pertinax]

If you scroll back to this entry

 

http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?act=mo...=si&img=447

 

here is one of the original wooden tablets in the museum at Vindolanda, a thin veneer of wax covered the indented surface.

[Favonius Cornelius]

Did the Romans use paper of some kind or was papyrus the only paper form?

[Pertinax]

And another question for the thread , was vellum (limed calfskin) a much later invention?

[Pantagathus]

And another question for the thread , was vellum (limed calfskin) a much later invention?

According to Pliny, the manufacture of parchment/vellum was ascribed to Eumenes II of Pergamum (197-158 B. C.). However, it didn't really supercede papyrus until the late Roman period.

 

Papyrus for writing was even grown on Sicily until the Middle Ages.

[Pertinax]

And another question for the thread , was vellum (limed calfskin) a much later invention?

According to Pliny, the manufacture of parchment/vellum was ascribed to Eumenes II of Pergamum (197-158 B. C.) but didn't supersede papyrus until the late Roman period.

 

Papyrus for writing was even grown on Sicily until the Middle Ages.

 

Slightly unfortunate as the "survivability" is exceptional . I now see that deer, calf and pig are all used for vellum , whereas parchment seems to be heavier older skins (sheep in particular for diplomas).

[Andrew Dalby]

Vellum ... the "survivability" is exceptional . I now see that deer, calf and pig are all used for vellum , whereas parchment seems to be heavier older skins (sheep in particular for diplomas).

 

Yes, I learned about the durability of these materials when I was learning to be a librarian (quite a long time ago now!) Vellum and parchment are remarkable. A book with parchment pages, bound in vellum, is quite likely to be in working order 1000 years later without the need for repair. Moderate handling is good for such a book, because the oils from readers' hands help to keep the materials moist. Just two serious threats: fire, and the owner becoming bored with the book (in which case the pages can be used as wrappings for fish-and-chips).

[Pertinax]

And, for all you scribes and Bibliophiles out there:

 

http://www.sca.org.au/st_florians/universi...asicguide.htm#7

 

scroll down to item 7, its the "how to lime your animal skin".

 

I assume the action of a"skivver" is not needed for academic quality work, given that pungent animal droppings were used as a highly effective hair and bristle remover. I am also informed that for rough and ready work, an animals brain makes a handy ready-to-use paste for depilation "in the field" .

 

For the more fastidious:

 

http://www.lib.umich.edu/pap/exhibits/papy...g/pm_intro.html

 

a small item on papyrus.