Technology

Since many copies were created of the Index Librorum Prohibitorum throughout the years, there is no one technology that was used to created the book. The earliest copies were printed in presses similar to those of Gutenburg’s, while the latest copies were printed by the linotype machine. The Gutenberg printing press featured technology that was based of other inventions such as the screw wine press from ancient Rome and the relief blocks based off of Chinese printing techniques. The process consisted of combining individual metal cast type in a process that was called “typesetting”. A composition stick was used to stage the type to form them into words, and eventually into complete sentences. Next the compositions would be transferred to a frame on an imposing stone, which is in the press itself. It would then be arranged in the press with other pieces of wood that were called the “furniture” in order to stay secure while the printing was occurring. A sheet of paper would then be placed in a “drum” in order to keep the sheet secure in the process and to ensure the exact placement of the paper. Next, the letters had to have ink transferred onto them, and this was done by “beating” the ink onto the letters with wool-filled ink balls. Afterwards, the page could be stamped and would create a printed page. Two men would work on the machine in order to create the printed pages. One would be the puller, who would place the page down on the “tympan”, wound the carriage and pulled the bar, while the other would be the beater, who would work the ink and apply it to the type. They would usually create 250 sheets in an hour, or 2500 in a ten-hour working day. The printing press brought about a drastic change to the society of the time, as information was able to travel more quickly around. Prior to the press, the only ways people would have books would be through a scribe writing them one, however, only the rich who were able to afford a scribe could get a book made for them. With the printing press, more people had access to books, because they were much cheaper, and there were plenty of books to get a hold of.