Paper in the Middle East
-For the final post on the advancements of writing surfaces, we turn to the Middle East and their interpretations and modifications on paper, that they discovered from China.
4. Paper – Middle East,
discovered around 700CE: The conversion from other writing surfaces to paper in
the Arabic regions of the world gave even more pronounced benefits than was
seen in China, with costs dropping dramatically compared to past inventions
(papyrus, parchment), and a very noticeable shift to a more literate and
educated population. In fact, this new level of education and knowledge bestowed
to the working class explains why Middle Eastern families, on average, had
better standards of living than other civilizations (e.g. Byzantium). This also
meant that the Arab population was more efficient and productive than most
other civilizations, at that time. Finally, the ability to make many more
sheets of paper than they would be able to if they used papyrus/parchment meant
that they could spread the word of their religion with much greater speed and
efficiency. Since the Arabs did not have the same environment as the Chinese
population did, instead of using plants like bamboo to make their paper, they had
linen rags, from flax. (Shatzmiller)
Legacy: Apart from the introduction of paper to the Middle Eastern societies inspiring a golden age filled with productivity, great standards of living, and abundant technological advancements and discoveries, another huge long-lasting impact that can still be felt today is the spread of Islam. While certain areas like the Iberian region in modern-day Spain have been fully reconverted to Christianity, the Middle East stands as a bulwark to the Islamic religion, and this might’ve not been possible if the Caliphate administrations didn’t capitalize fully on their new discovery of paper. Its ability to be durable and cheap/quick to produce allowed many people to hear the words of their religion.
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