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Lesson Plans


Crusading papermakers

[ Thread ][ Subject ][ Author ][ Date ]
Betty Bowen (bbowen.ok.us)
Thu, 2 Sep 1999 15:52:57 -0500

OK - I know I remember this - I know that in reading the histories of
Fabriano, Arches, and that 14th century Czech papermill, there was a
connection between those men who had gone to the crusades coming back with
knowledge of the Arab papermaking techniques (paper from rag) and setting up
their own mills. At least one of them had learned the process while a
prisoner of war.

I realize there was an Arab mill in Spain until the Europeans ran them out
in the late 13th century, and that Arab made papers were coming in to Europe
anyway.

Now that I'm far far away from a decent art history library, I'm trying to
find this info from a reliable source to help a co-workers daughter write a
Catholic School paper on the art of the Crusades and she's totally bored
with the architecture. Any clues? I can't find a web site for D'Arches. The
"paper history" sites all refer to dates within the Crusades but never
mention any connection (but one).

Betty