![]() ![]() ![]() Since parchment is presently the term preferred by a large number of conservators, scientists, and scholars working both in the U.S. However, the two words were often used interchangeably, and even sometimes in combination with each other, without any clear distinction between animal type or method of preparation. Vellum was often used to indicate a very fine quality of parchment which was preferred for painting and illumination, or specifically referring to parchment made of calfskin. This material is also referred to as vellum, from the French word vellin derived from vel for veal ("vellum, n." 2022) (alternatively, from the Latin word vitulus and the French word veau for calf (Reed?)). The English word parchment comes from the French word parchemin ("parchment, n." 2022) which ultimately derives from the name of Pergamon, a city in modern day Türkiye and a center for parchment production in the ancient world ("Pergamon" 2022). Parchment is typically described as a highly stressed sheet material with a stiff handle which is made from the skins of small domesticated animals such as calves, sheep, and goats that are cleaned of their hair and flesh and then dried under tension on a frame. 10.3 Nineteenth Century Fine Art Prints on Parchment.10.2 Housing of Dead Sea Scroll Fragments for Exhibition.10.1 Conservation of Early Qur'an Fragments.7.8 Lubrication of Horny, Desiccated Parchment.7.4 Consolidation of Degraded Parchment.6.1 Mending, Filling and Lining Materials.5.5 Potential Alteration/Damage to Object in Treatment. ![]() ![]() 5.4 Unique Qualities of Parchment as a Support.5.3 History of Manufacture and Use of Parchment.The The advantages of vellum include: long lasting (2,000 years at least, compared with 200 years for paper) green (skins are a by-product of the meat and dairy industry, and forests aren’t cut down to produce it, nor harsh chemicals used) part of the UK’s heritage (with traditions and practices held in high esteem by other countries). This was not challenged so only the covers of Acts are now made from vellum. The proposal was rejected by Parliament but the administration of Acts is controlled by the Clerk of Parliament in the House of Lords who stated they did not need a vote to change the material they used for Acts. However, the HCA analysed the figures and realised the savings would not nearly be as significant as claimed (closer to £37,000 pa than the £80,000 pa proposed) and launched a campaign to overturn this decision and save the craft. Market issues: In late 2015 it was proposed that vellum would no longer be used for printing Acts of Parliament (this was seen as a potential cost-saving measure), which would have meant the end of business for William Cowley Parchment Makers, the only parchment makers in the UK, and the loss of the craft. Issues affecting the viability of the craft Once dry, the skins are cut from the framed and rolled ready for use. The skins are then stretched out and scraped to raise the nap and create as even a surface as possible, although an animal skin is never as evenly thick as a sheet of paper. The hair is then gently eased out of the skin using a two-handled knife called a scudder. The skins are a by-product of the meat and dairy industry and are prepared by first being soaked in vats of lime-water. There are two skilled masters and one apprentice. There used to be a parchmenter near most larger towns, using the skins which were a by-product, but now there is only one manufacturer of vellum and parchment, William Cowley or Newport Pagnell. Animal skin is also used for drums, book binding and in conservation. As a writing medium, when it is properly prepared, it surpasses any paper, and lasts far longer. The Codex Sinaiticus is a fourth-century vellum bible now in the British Library, and its pages are flexible and can still be turned easily. Parchment, which is sheep and goatskin, and vellum, calfskin, have been used for manuscripts for thousands of years. ![]()
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