How the book appeared. When the first book appeared

The book is closely related to other great inventions of antiquity - writing, paper, ink. How did the first books appear and what did they represent? More on this in more detail.

Definition and origin of the word

The book in the modern meaning of this word is a special kind of product consisting of separate pages or sheets, to which any information is printed with a typographical or handwritten method.

In the Proto-Slavic language it was called "kuniga". Presumably, this word was borrowed from the ancient Turkic languages. It meant "scroll".

When did the first book appear? The answer to this question requires consideration of the conditions without which it could not arise. First of all, it is material for creating records (paper) and a means for storing information (writing). Only after their appearance did the history of the book begin.

Writing

The book contains some information. To write it down, you need the following conditions: possession of writing and material for writing. In ancient times man used oral transmission of knowledge. When they were few, this method suited. But as information was accumulated, it was necessary to search for a new means for its transmission and preservation. So man invented writing. Now everything that people knew about the world around us could be written down, thus preserving the priceless knowledge for the next generations.

How did the book come about? This is one of the most interesting issues in the history of human development. Reply to it is difficult, because the main condition for the appearance of books - writing, originated almost at the same time in Ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt. However, scientists give the palm of priority in this matter to the Sumerians, believing that it was Mesopotamia (Mesopotamia) that became the first country where writing appeared.

On what did you write in antiquity?

How did the book come about? A great role in this was played by material for writing. Each civilization, having opened its way of recording information, began to use various things to preserve knowledge: plant stems, leaves, clay tablets, tree bark, and metal.

Tablets are the oldest material for writing. They were of two kinds: wax and clay. The latter were usually fired for strength, and it was already impossible to make changes to the text after that. Wax tablets allowed to erase the inscription and apply a new one. They were used in Ancient Mesopotamia and Rome.

Scrolls made from papyrus stems were first used by the ancient Egyptians. Then this kind of paper began to be used for writing by the Phoenicians and later introduced to him by the Greeks. For a long time the scrolls were used as a rather convenient material for recordings. Because of the fragility, papyrus could not be bent, but it could be folded into long strips that were convenient to store on shelves. In addition, the ink from the papyrus was easily washed off, and it could be reused.

When the first book appeared, what does science say?

The inscription made in ancient times on rocks, rocks, bones of animals, a book can not be called. These were separate statements, not texts. But according to information received during archaeological research, the appearance of the first books refers to ancient times. Outwardly, they were very different from their modern brethren.

The first books appeared in the III millennium BC. E. In Ancient Mesopotamia. The burnt clay tablets were folded into wooden boxes, each of which represented a separate "book". In Ancient Rome, 2-4 tablets were fastened together, and a code (book) was obtained from several "sheets".

How did the first books appear in the Middle Ages?

For a long time papyrus scrolls were very widespread. But they were short-lived, and the papyrus itself in Egypt became an increasingly rare plant. With the emergence of Christianity for sacred texts needed more durable and easy-to-handle material. It was parchment made of animal skin. Most often, goat, sheep and calf skins were used for its production. The parchment could be bent without fear of damage. Over time, books began to be made from him.

The first books of the Middle Ages were almost no different from modern in form. They consisted of many pages and had a cover. Such books were very expensive. On the manufacture of one, up to 500 animal skins and 2-3 years of work of census-takers and artists went off. Often they were decorated with an expensive salary of gold and precious stones.

How did the book appear in Russia? As for our country, it has its own history of the appearance of the first manuscripts and texts. Traditional writing material in the 11th-15th centuries was birch bark. They were first discovered in large numbers in Veliky Novgorod at the beginning of the 20th century.

Beresta was an inexpensive cheap material and was used mainly for private correspondence. More important documents were written on parchment.

Book printing is a new page in the history of the book's appearance

The manuscripts were expensive, and only very rich people could afford the luxury of having their homes. In the Middle Ages, people with literacy were negligible. Basically, they were monks, scientists and public officials (scribes).

In the VIII century, the first universities appeared in Europe. States needed a large number of educated people. But the students could not afford to buy expensive volumes. Most often the book was available only to a professor who lectured, and listeners had to memorize it.

By that time, woodcuts were being used in China and in the East - an imprint on the fabric. But this method was not cheap, because the fabric itself was expensive.

In Europe, with the advent of paper in the early 15th century, book printing was invented with the help of a font set. Traditionally it is believed that Johann Guttenberg was the first to discover this way of producing books. In fact, typeface fonts have already been applied before it in different European countries. Gutenberg's brilliant invention consisted in the creation of a printing press.

When printed books appeared, it became possible to spread knowledge not only among the privileged class: the nobility, the clergy and representatives of science. Gradually, books created with the help of a machine tool became available to the rest of the population.

When did the first printed book appear in Russia? This significant event occurred in 1564. Before that, no doubt, such kind of folios already entered into the country, created not by enumerators, but by machine. Such books were no longer news in Russia at the time of the creation of its first printing house.

The first printed book of Russia was the "Apostle" - a real masterpiece created by Ivan Fedorov and Peter Mstislavets.

Afterword

The question, how the book appeared, will always be relevant, and not one child will ask it in school or at home. Books that carry knowledge change over time. Now they can be listened to or read in electronic form, but they still remain close to us.