A courtier named Ts'ai-Lun, from Lei-yang in China , was the inventor of paper (not papyrus) circa 105 A .D. However, the word paper is derived from the name of the reedy plant papyrus, which grows abundantly along the Nile River in Egypt . Paper is made of pulped cellulose fibers like wood, cotton or flax. Papyrus is made from the sliced sections of the flower stem of the papyrus plant, pressed together and dried. Left Photo: Greek parchment paper General Papermaking History Paper Online Starting with the year 3000 BC, this is a timeline of paper invention. American Museum of Papermaking The Robert C. Williams American Museum is a renowned resource on the history of paper and paper technology. Virtual Tour Contents Forerunners to Paper - The Invention of Paper - The Spread of Papermaking in Europe - The Papermaker - Dard Hunter - Papermaking Moves to th...