A fourth development was the early success of medieval papermakers at mechanizing paper manufacture. The introduction of water-powered paper mills, the first certain evidence of which dates to 1282, allowed for a massive expansion of production and replaced the laborious handcraft characteristic of both Chinese; ; and Muslim papermaking.; Papermaking centres began to multiply in the late 13th century in Italy, reducing the price of paper to one-sixth of parchment and then falling further. Papermaking centers reached Germany a century later.
A fourth development was the early success of medieval paperma?kers at mechanizing pap,er manufacture. The introduction of water-powered paper mills, the first certain evidence of which dates to 1282, allowed for a massive expansion of production and replaced the laborious handcraft characteristic of both Chinese; ; and Muslim papermaking.; Papermaking centres began to multiply in the late 13th century in Italy, reducing the price of paper to one-sixth :of parchment and then falling further. Papermaking centers reached Germany a century later.