For over two thousand years, traditional papermaking has been practiced all over the world and has elaborated a variety of local techniques. Almost every aspect of modern papermaking technology has its technological precursors in the preindustrial epoch. It is important to note that historical papermaking methods can provide insights to help in modern applications involving cellulosic fibers. The chapter describes the evolution of hand papermaking through centuries and cultures, as this technology migrated from the Far East—its birthplace—to the West, where the invention of the papermaking machine led to the emergence of modern technology. The author consistently examines three technological types of traditional hand-papermaking: Far Eastern (that includes paper of Central Asia), Near Eastern, and European. In addition, the chapter provides an overview of paper genesis concepts and the main technological precursors of papermaking—ancient technologies that used fiber raw material: felt, fabrics, and tapa.