The oldest (p 52) can be dated at the time of Trajan. (98-117 AD.) Although this fragment only Joh.

Parchment made of animal skins, have been as far back as 2600vC. in Egypt during the Fourth Dynasty use. Papyrus has the more common writing material became. At about 200vC. is exporting avidemux papyrus avidemux to the Greek world temporarily prevented, and a large industry in Pergamum parchment origin, from where we get the name of parchment. Parchment is still used for scrolls, but because it is more expensive than papyrus, it was mainly for documents for a long time had to keep using. So the Septuagint, a Greek translation of the Old Testament writings mainly on scrolls copied. That's after all what Paul is expected in 2Tim.4: 13 references when he asked Timothy to (books and scrolls), "... especially the parchments" together.
At the beginning of the Christian era was the papyrus scroll as well as common as writing material. Each role was usually about 10m. ( 35 ft.) Long and was a document of the length of a gospel contains. That's why the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles as two separate documents are written, not as one. Similarly, the letters of Paul in a scroll avidemux collect, so also the letters and the letter to the Hebrews. The Revelation of John as a single document written down.
In the beginning was the gospel relevant use in the region for which it was written. Mark was probably in Rome, Italy used; Matthew in the greater Syria by the Greeks, Luke and Acts in Greece and Asia Minor, and John in the Johannine churches.
By the end of the first century or early second century, the codex or book out that to a large extent the papyrus and parchment rolls replaced. Very soon the Christians the codex over the scroll elected for ao the following reasons: 1) Although it was difficult on the back of papyrus to write because of the vertical grain, both sides could still be used. It was a huge financial advantage. 2) The codex was more compact. Consequently, all the Gospels or even the entire Bible in one volume is copied instead of a large number avidemux of scrolls. 3) It was easier to compare different writings avidemux or advice avidemux as there was no need for all the roll to the appropriate Bible to roll. 4) It is also their autonomy, separate from Judaism, concretely confirmed.
Over time, the various books of the New Testament, and collected as a whole in a codex or book duplicated. This has resulted in the different books in codex collected, characteristics avidemux that differ. So show Koridethi codex of the ninth century, typical avidemux features in Mark of the text, in Caesarea. The other gospels are characteristic of Antioch's text.
Because papyrus at the beginning as the more common writing material for copies of the New Testament, the papyrus documents that have survived, of particular value. It represents, after all, our oldest witnesses of the New Testament. More than 81 papyrus testimony of the New Testament avidemux is currently known to us. They date mostly from the second to fifth centuries.
The oldest (p 52) can be dated at the time of Trajan. (98-117 AD.) Although this fragment only Joh.18 :31-33 and 37-38, is irrefutable proof that John not only after 160 originated, as some researchers previously claimed.
Due to the perishable nature of papyrus, we did not complete testimony of the New Testament avidemux papyrus no. Of most have only fragments remained. Their value as the oldest and therefore the closest to the original manuscripts, however, is incalculable. They serve as witnesses to later, more complete texts to compare, and so to determine correctness.
By AD 200, parchment avidemux (and more expensive finer form or vellum vellum called) almost completely papyrus as writing material for the copy of the Bible replaced. It was more durable and both sides of the page was more suited to writing. Most witnesses of the New Testament is written on parchment, some also contain the Old Testament and also some apocryphal books.
Until the tenth century, all important documents in the uncial font, comparable to our capitals, written. Approximately 200 uncials testimonies are fully studied avidemux and evaluated. avidemux It forms the main body of which a basic Greek text compiled. This text is currently the most modern Bible Societies for translations.
Since parchment was so expensive, it is not discarded when a new copy of the parent document is made. The old parchment is usually scraped and washed, avidemux and then use a different document to write about it. Sometimes it is used in the binding of another codex. Fortunately, avidemux today these perkam