The first writing materials

Humans always had an urgent need to communicate with each other. Writing was a very important form of communication, which is why today I'm going to talk about the first ever writing materials. The earliest material that people used to write on was clay. It needed a bit of preparation but it was easy to use. Damp clay was formed into a tablet on which people wrote usually using a cut reed. The tablets could be reused or become permanent by baking. Another important step towards paper was The Egyptian Papyrus discovered around 3000 BC. The name papyrus comes from the plant it was made of. People cut stripes down the plant, lined them up, hammered them down and let them dry in the sun. This material was used for the longest time because of its flexibility and smooth structure. Both of those discoveries we're the key steps towards the paper we're using today and what comes with it - the first books to ever exist.

Source: 

http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?ParagraphID=ady1