History of Text Technologies

Wood engraving is a form of relief printing where blocks of wood are carved away, leaving behind a raised design. That design is then stamped onto paper to form an illustration. Woodcuts were used as early as the eighth century in Japan, and would begin appearing in Europe in 1400, where they were used to illustrate the new medium of the printed book. They would continue to see popular use until the mid-sixteenth century, when book printers generally shifted to using engravings.