As another poster already said, most old manuscripts were not written on paper, but on vellum or another kind of parchment (i.e. on leather), which has a very different chemical behavior from paper.
Paper was first used in Europe in the 11th century, by the Arabs. It has spread slowly during the next centuries, but it became really important only about the same time with printing.
Paper was first used in Europe in the 11th century, by the Arabs. It has spread slowly during the next centuries, but it became really important only about the same time with printing.