The history of printing started around 5,000 years ago with the copying of images. Cylinder seals were rolled and impressed on clay pads in the early Mesopotamian civilization more than 5,000 years ago. They are among the oldest types of artwork that have survived, and they feature complex and ornate images. Countries like China and Egypt used tiny stamps as seals before they used bigger blocks. Europe and India printed on cloth before paper or papyrus.

Block printing was one of the foremost printing techniques that was used throughout Asia. The earliest surviving examples are from 3,000 years ago. European uses of the term translate to woodcut. Stencils were also used for publications en masse because the type didn’t need to be written by hand. Movable type was invented later on, and it used movable pieces of metal, hence the name. The first system was created about 1,000 years ago. Johannes Gutenberg is the European originator of movable type. However, Johannes built on several earlier discoveries. The flat-bed printing press, printing houses, rotary printing press, lithography, color printing, and countless innovations were created after the 1850s to the present day.