Pergamenti

Pergamenti is the Italian term for parchment sheets used as writing material. In English-language contexts, parchment refers to the same material, a writing surface produced from animal skins. Pergamenti encompasses the sheets prepared for manuscripts, documents, and bookbinding from late antiquity through the medieval and early modern periods, and it remains relevant today in manuscript conservation and related crafts.

Etymology and scope: The word pergamena and its plural pergamenti are rooted in Latin, with connections often drawn to Pergamon, a city once noted for its fine writing skins. While the association with Pergamon is common in historical accounts, parchment production and use likely arose before the city’s prominence. Pergamenti thus represents the traditional material rather than a single geographic origin.

Production and characteristics: Pergamenti are typically made from skins of sheep, goats, or calves. The skins are cleaned, soaked in lime, dehaired, and scraped to remove fat and flesh. They are then stretched on frames and dried under tension to achieve a uniform thickness and a smooth writing surface. The degree of scraping and finishing determines how easily ink takes to the surface. Parchment is distinguished from vellum in some definitions by the range of animal skins used; vellum is often associated specifically with calfskin, while parchment can include other species.

History and use: Pergamenti were the dominant writing material in Europe from late antiquity through the Middle Ages and into the early modern period, used for liturgical books, codices, legal documents, and archival records. Palimpsests—parchment sheets erased and reused—are a notable feature of medieval manuscripts. In modern times, pergamenti continue to be valued in conservation, archival work, and traditional book arts.