>They had papyrus, parchments and wax tablets, none of them were as convenient or affordable as paper.
Papyrus is cheap, easy to make and affordable. It would certainly have been much cheaper than paper, which didn't become any good until substantial industrial and chemical advancements. It was used all over the place. We don't have much left from the Northern Mediterranean because it rots.
Wax tablets were used until the 19th century because it's also cheap and practical.
Velum didn't become mainstream until the Islamic invasion of Egypt cut the supply of papyrus.
>The adoption of paper was what really set things in motion in Europe, the Renaissance.
The idea that there was a Renaissance at all is dubious. Paper was certainly a step up from velum. But It would have been much better for everyone if we could just have used papyrus continuously.
Paper is thin, light, durable... you can make books from it and transport them easily. It can be manufactured from materials available in abundance in Europe.
A book made of wax tablets, or velum is not as good. I don't imagine vast libraries and universities running on books made of wax tablets or velum.
With respect to Papyrus, I agree. The Great Library of Alexandria was all papyrus. It can be produced at scale. But Europeans had to import it from far, far away.
Papyrus is cheap, easy to make and affordable. It would certainly have been much cheaper than paper, which didn't become any good until substantial industrial and chemical advancements. It was used all over the place. We don't have much left from the Northern Mediterranean because it rots.
Wax tablets were used until the 19th century because it's also cheap and practical.
Velum didn't become mainstream until the Islamic invasion of Egypt cut the supply of papyrus.
>The adoption of paper was what really set things in motion in Europe, the Renaissance.
The idea that there was a Renaissance at all is dubious. Paper was certainly a step up from velum. But It would have been much better for everyone if we could just have used papyrus continuously.