I've haven't heard of papermaking before the Chinese in 210 BC (or is it
AD).  Japanese scholars have made a claim, but I'm not sure of the
details or dates.

I was working at the Smithsonian when a improperly described (Mayan, I
believe) "Codex" was discovered.  It was later found to be several
painted gourds stacked, as we stack dishes today, so that on first
viewing, and surrounded by dirt, it looked like multiple pages of a
codex.

The Institute of Paper Science and Technology <http://www.ipst.edu/> has
a Paper Making Museum <http://www.ipst.edu/amp/> which contains the Dard
Hunter Collection <http://www.ipst.edu/amp/dhunter.html> with his life's
work collecting information and tools on papermaking.  The William's
Papermaking Museum (IPST, Atlanta, GA) also has a section on papermaking
forerunner <http://www.ipst.edu/amp/forerun.html>, but I doubt it
contains information on Mayan papermaking.

Timothy Vitale
Paper & Photograph Conservator
and Preservation Consultant
Preservation Associates
Aptos, CA
831-684-2731