# Writing Materials Made of Animal Skin: Paper, Writing Materials Made of Sheep, Goat, and Calf Skin. Leather Paper
1. What Does Parchment Mean?
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| Parchment |
Parchment was created as a substitute for papyrus by King Eumenes II of Pergamon in Asia Minor (197-159 BC). The English word ‘parchment’ comes from the name of this dynasty.
Parchment is a high-quality writing material made by processing animal skin.
It mainly uses the skin of sheep, goats, and calves, and was widely used to write important documents or books from ancient times to the Middle Ages.
Parchment is more durable than paper and has the characteristic of being well-preserved over time.
Parchment was mainly used for important documents, the Bible, legal documents, and works of art, and is still used today to produce high-quality books and works of art. The unique texture and durability of parchment have played a very important role in history.
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| Sheet music made of parchment |
2. How to Make Parchment
① Prepare the leather: Peel the animal skin, and remove the hair and fat.
② Wash and treat: Soak the leather in water to remove impurities, and soak it in lime water to remove any remaining hair.
③ Drying: Fix the leather to a wooden frame and dry it while pulling it taut.
④ Surface treatment: Smooth the surface of the dried leather, and apply chalk or lime powder as needed to make it easier to write on.