Here's a breakdown:
* Inventor: The invention of paper is traditionally attributed to Cai Lun, a court official during the Eastern Han dynasty.
* Materials: Cai Lun used bark, hemp, rags, and fishing nets as the raw materials for his paper. He created a pulp by grinding these materials and then formed sheets by pressing the pulp onto a sieve.
* Purpose: Initially, paper was used for writing, but its uses expanded to include packaging, clothing, and other purposes.
It's important to note that the earliest form of paper might have been used even earlier, around 105 BCE. Archaeological evidence points to the existence of paper-like materials from that era.
Papermaking technology eventually spread from China to other parts of Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. It became a key technology that enabled the spread of knowledge and culture.