Humans have been writing for thousands of years. But we didn't start out using pens or pencils. We started by scratching on rocks. It wasn't until the 6th century that a new way of writing was invented: the quill pen.
The quill pen is a writing tool made from a bird feather. A bird feather may sound like a strange thing to use for a pen. But bird feathers are hollow and can hold a small amount of ink inside them. A small opening in the tip of the feather allows the ink to come out when it touches paper.
The quill pen was used for over 1,000 years—from the 6th century to the 19th century. In 1822, however, the metal pen was invented. Metal pens did not need to be sharpened. They weren't as messy as quill pens. And they lasted much longer. Metal pens replaced quill pens very quickly.
