parchment

Parchment is a writing material made from the prepared skin of animals, most commonly sheep, goat, or calf. It has historically served as a primary writing surface before the widespread use of paper. When calfskin is used, the material is often called vellum; the term parchment is sometimes used for skins of various animals, though the distinction is not always observed.

Production involves cleansing and dehairing the skin, removing fat and flesh, then soaking in lime to loosen remaining hair. The skin is stretched on a frame and scraped to a uniform thickness as it dries. After drying, it may be whitened with chalk and resoaked for further smoothing. The writing surface is often sized with adhesive substances such as gelatin, egg white (glair), or other solutions to reduce ink spread and improve ink adhesion.

Parchment surfaces are smooth and durable, with a degree of translucence that depends on thickness. They are sensitive to humidity and temperature, which can cause warping or cockling. Parchment accepts ink and pigments well and has been used for manuscripts, letters, legal documents, maps, and artwork. In medieval Europe it often replaced papyrus; later, paper supplanted parchment in most applications, though parchment remained preferred for certain books and archival documents.

In modern times, parchment is primarily used by conservators, calligraphers, and some bookbinders, while conservation and restoration require specialized handling. A separate term, parchment paper, refers to a cellulose-based material used for cooking and baking, which is not animal skin and should not be confused with parchment.