In one sense, the history of book binding can begin with educated monks as early as the sixth century, who would protect their hand-transcribed manuscripts with wooden boards encrusted with metal and jewels. However, modern-era book binding came about with the advent of the printing press.

Who was the first to bind books?

The ancient Egyptians had wax and wood “notebooks,” but the Romans were the first to create bound books from paper (papyrus). By the 2nd century, this type of codex was the preferred writing tool among early Christians.

How were early books bound?

Early and medieval codices were bound with flat spines, and it was not until the fifteenth century that books began to have the rounded spines associated with hardcovers today. ... Until the end of the period books were not usually stood up on shelves in the modern way.