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Show ParT I Papermaking Moulds of the Orien ROM the time of the invention of papermaking in China in th second century of the Christian Era, the moul has been the chief too in the hands of the papermaker. Itis only through ts use that the macerate Vegetable fibres floating upon the surface of water are brought together an matted into a homogeneous layer, which, after drying, is paper. The entir history of paper is so closely connected with mould-making that it is onl through a study of moulds that the history of paper is revealed. Withou a thorough knowledge of mould construction throughout the centuries i would not be possible to arrive at definite conclusions regarding th formation of the ancient Oriental papen that have been uncarthed b archacological expeditions in the Far East. It has not been my privilege t szlmm: all of the old papers that hav by Sir Aurel Stei r. Sven Hedin,® but T am informed that these precious bits of pape dxsunclly show the impres ‘made by bamboo moulds of the "laid type. While these unpm;scd lines in this carly paper do not bear out m supposition, I am inclined to think that the very first paper was formed o 2 fabric mould of the "wove" style. There is no basis whatsoever in th way of specimens of ancient paper nor any concise evidence to prove thi assumption. In my own experiments, however, while trying to arrive a the modus operandi used by the actual inventor of paper I have come t the conclusion that the "wove" mould must have been the earliest typ employed, and that the macerated fibres were poured onfo the mould an Sir Aurel St o oo sty 0 Asia, on one of his journeys through Chincs Turkestan dis .m,mx e of e der the m oved to bomed par o hne, erhis e e dte o s e Faper, g romase~ 300 A..,was also found Nyi Tkt T st dated was found by Dr, Sven Hedin at Loulan s databe aoin papersarei eB (27 Digitalimage© 2004 Marriott Library, University of Utah. All ngms reserved |
