The ancient pen was a reed that was cut to a point (and needed continuous resharpening). The paper was usually animal skin. The ink was generally made by mixing soot with some kind of gum or glue. Writing legibly with a reed dipped in this kind of ink and applying it to parchment was difficult. Trained scribes were often used for writing letters.
Writing a "personal letter" could mean many things:
- writing it oneself;
- dictating it word-for word to a scribe;
- dictating the general content and letting the scribe put it into words.
- Little Blue Book, Diocese of Saginaw