<P> In eastern civilisations such as India, the principal writing media were birch bark or bhurjapatra (Sanskrit) and dried palm leaves . The use of paper began only after the 10th century . However birch bark and palm leaf continue to be used even today on a limited scale in a rural milieu for the use of horoscopes, wedding invitations and other cultural uses . </P> <P> In China, the early material was animal bones, later silk, bamboo and wooden slips, until the 2nd century when paper was invented . </P> <P> Writing seems to have become more widespread with the invention of papyrus in Egypt . Parchment, using sheepskins left after the wool was removed for cloth, was sometimes cheaper than papyrus, which had to be imported outside Egypt . With the invention of wood - pulp paper, the cost of writing material began a steady decline . </P> <P> The dramatic increase in demand foray paper associated with the printing press stimulated dramatic cost reduction efforts . Specialized materials developed for printing have also been made available for writing . The invention of the typewriter was a major step, making possible reliable production of legible written materials by organizations and individual writers . </P>

What material is soft enough to write in but dries hard