By the 13th and 14th centuries, water power is being used to drive paper mills in Europe, particularly in Italy and Spain. The technology, which originated in China and spread via the Islamic world, used waterwheels to power the heavy stamps or hammers that pulped rags into a slurry for papermaking. The availability of water power was essential to the growth of the European paper industry, which in turn was critical to the spread of literacy, the rise of universities, and the eventual advent of the printing press.

The water-powered paper mill is a foundational technology for the history of literature itself. It enabled the mass production of paper, making books and written materials more accessible. This technological backdrop is crucial for understanding the flourishing of vernacular literature in the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance, as poets and writers could reach a wider audience thanks to the cheaper and more abundant paper produced by these mills.