Documents were already being written in Roman times. The oldest archival document in the Netherlands is the (forged) charter that the German King Otto I granted to the Limburg monastery of Thorn in 950. The oldest surviving written document is the wooden writing tablet from Tolsum, dating from 28 AD.

In the early Middle Ages, documents were written on papyrus. Later, people switched to parchment, an extremely durable material made from the hides of cows, goats, sheep, or other animals. During the fourteenth century, paper also came into use.

Church and secular dignitaries such as popes, bishops, abbots and abbesses, emperors and empresses, kings and queens, dukes and duchesses, and counts and countesses were the first to record their agreements in written documents. Beginning in the twelfth century, cities, knights, priests, citizens, and peasants followed suit.

In the early Middle Ages, the signature was the most common way in Western Europe to give documents legal validity. From the end of the ninth century onward, bishops began to authenticate their documents with a seal. Over the course of the eleventh century, seals became more widespread. Emperors, bishops, and princes were the first to use them, followed by nobles, monasteries, and cities. Since the 13th century, lay judges and respected citizens have also had their own seals. Most seals were made of beeswax, but popes used lead, and some high-ranking princes and church leaders used gold or silver. A seal was not only a means of authenticating a document but also served as a status symbol for its owner.

Charts are official documents, but they were also forged. Many forged charts were produced, particularly in the twelfth century. Since a chart could be used to enforce one’s rights, it was tempting to forge one if one lacked a legal title.

Originally, documents were written in Latin. Starting in the thirteenth century, documents began to appear in the vernacular as well. The oldest vernacular document in Dutch Limburg dates from 1294.

Documents were carefully stored in large boxes or cabinets. Many documents were also transcribed into registers, which is why we are still familiar with many medieval texts whose originals no longer survive. Today, these fragile parchment documents are kept in archives equipped with fire-resistant doors, advanced climate control systems, and alarm systems.

Medieval scribes usually used a goose quill, but sometimes also a reed stalk. The ink was iron gall ink, which consisted of iron salt, tannin from gallnuts, water or wine, and a binding agent (gum arabic).

A deed is an official, written document intended to serve as evidence of a legally binding agreement between two or more parties. It is drawn up according to specific rules and formats, which vary depending on where and when the deed was created.