Girl riding penny farthing bike - Natalia Mendoza Papier Mache arts It's not surprising that papier mache originated in China, being the original inventors of paper. It is recorded that during the Han Dynasty (BC 202 – AD 220), lacquer reinforced papier mache was used to create helmets followed by other 3 dimensional objects in the decorative arts. Its use spread to Japan and Persia followed by Europe. The use of papyrus scrolls predates this in Egypt and the Mediterraneum but it wasn't as suitable for creating paper mache due to having a less fibrous structure