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Before the invention of paper, written words were preserved on fabric in the form of scrolls. The Chinese are credited with inventing paper around 105 c.e. Historians note that this date was chosen somewhat subjectively, as early experiments in the process of papermaking probably stretched over a long period of time before the process was perfected. No records exist that indicate how the Chinese first made paper, but it is believed that this early paper was made by pouring fibrous pulp onto flat cloth-covered molds, then drying it—essentially the same way paper is produced today. Once the pulp had dried, an interlocking matrix of fibers created the paper. Early forms of paper were not as well processed as modern paper products. In fact, early forms of paper had more in common with the fabrics they replaced than with modern paper. They were coarse in nature, but they did lie flat. This quality made it possible for the first real books to be produced.

Paper is an important technological development. Although paper-like materials had already been in use for thousands of years, true paper from separated cellulose fibers was invented in China in the year 105 CE. The manner of its production was a closely guarded secret. Since then, paper has become one of the most versatile and useful materials known, and it is used for many purposes.

A piece of paper, independent of any writing or printing that may appear on it, conveys a wealth of information. By examining it closely, an expert can often tell where and when it was manufactured. Telltale signs of its subsequent history—how it was stored and whether it was treated in any way—may be discernible as well. forensic scientists may also be able to match paper fragments that have been torn or cut from larger original pieces to those original pieces in a process known as fracture matching.