From Rome To The Renaissance 3. The Dark Ages - The Dark Ages: with the Roman Empire’s collapse in about 450 A.D., Europe reduced to minor city-states many established arts and crafts forgotten or stagnant, the 600 years following the fall of Rome being so devoid of significant change that historians refer to them as the Dark Ages. 4.The discovery of paper - In China, Ts’ai Lun is credited with making the first true paper from the inner bark of mulberry trees. The name “paper” given to the Chinese invention made of matted plant fibers.From Rome To The Renaissance 3. The Dark Ages - The Dark Ages: with the Roman Empire’s collapse in about 450 A.D., Europe reduced to minor city-states many established arts and crafts forgotten or stagnant, the 600 years following the fall of Rome being so devoid of significant change that historians refer to them as the Dark Ages. 4.The discovery of paper - In China, Ts’ai Lun is credited with making the first true paper from the inner bark of mulberry trees. The name “paper” given to the Chinese invention made of matted plant fibers