Media and Message in Medieval Russia: Transition from Parchment to Paper.

The article examines the changes in the media of communication in medieval Russia. Based on quantitative data of surviving manuscripts and administrative documents, it argues that the introduction of paper in the fourteenth century had limited impact on secularization of knowledge and education. In the long run, however, it stimulated rapid production and dissemination of manuscripts and encouraged a new type of literacy that cherished thoughtful reading and reflection on content. Paper was mostly used in North-East territories, whereas in Novgorod parchment remained the dominant writing material up to the end of the fifteenth century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]