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European Paper Mills

Type Object Region Europe Time c. 1276

European paper mills were workshop-style production facilities that used water power to beat fibers and form sheets, taking root in Italy and France …

Timeline

  1. c. 1150–1276Xàtiva · IberiaPapermaking technology from the Islamic world spread to Christian Europe through Cordoba, Valencia, and elsewhere; early paper mills were established in Fabriano and other Italian towns, using water-powered hammers to beat rag fibers and form sheets.
  2. c. 1300–1450Troyes · FrancePaper mills spread along rivers in central Italy and Champagne in France; workshops were equipped with pulp vats, paper moulds, and water-powered hammers, and their products gradually replaced parchment for everyday documents and book linings.
  3. 1461–1470Nuremberg · Holy Roman EmpireWith the rise of printing and surging paper demand, new paper mills sprang up in Germany and northern France; water power and workshop division of labor grew increasingly mature, providing a steady paper supply for printed matter, playing cards, and administrative documents.
  4. c. 1455Mainz · RhinelandThe spread of movable type printing greatly spurred the expansion of paper mill capacity; European papermaking technology spread worldwide after improvements, and modern mechanized paper mills replaced water-powered workshops, though the principle of sheet forming remained continuous.

Sources