“In Mesoamerica, the earliest proven bark beaters are from the Maya area and its periphery, particularly the Pacific coastal plain of Guatemala and El Salvador, where they appear some 2,500 years ago.
[3]” Both forms of bark beaters (club-shaped, and racquet type) were also found in the islands of Southeast Asia.
Some bark beaters have long handles, while others have an encircling groove around the side for hafting so it fits easily in one's hand [5] "I have recorded some 140 uses of the product, such as mats, blankets, bags, various items of clothing, shrouds, banners, and of course, writing paper.” Says Professor Paul Tolstoy of Montreal, Canada.
Early records show that the Aztec city in Mexico, Tenochtitlan, they used to produce 42,000 packets of paper annually to be paid in tributes.
They include such elements as the cultivation or care of trees used for their bark; ways of getting at the desired bast layer.