Paper curtailed the size of the map Olaus could print,
since paper was made by hand, using a mold (or frame) with a fine screen at the bottom. Pulp made from beaten cloth, almost exclusively linen, was poured into the mold. The paper maker shook the pulp carefully so that it spread evenly on the screen. When dry enough to handle the sheet was removed from the mold. This method of production determined the size of a sheet, which was basically the size of the mold that one man could hold and shake by himself.

The processes involved in early paper making and printing determined the size of the image that could be printed.

magnifying glassUnder the Magnifying Glass: Olaus' Carta Marina


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