MATERIALS TESTING HELPS WITH THE CONSERVATION OF HISTORIC PARCHMENT DOCUMENTS

Parchment is manufactured from animal hides, composed predominantly of collagen. The most common skins used are from calf, goat and sheep [1]. The manufacturing process removes the hair, lipids and other non-collagenous materials through the use of lime baths, stretching and scraping [2]. Parchments often appear white due to the addition of minerals and finishing techniques. Archeological evidence suggests that parchments were in use as a writing material as far back as 200 BC, it is therefore of no surprise that some of the most valued texts and works of art in history, including the Domesday Book and the Dead Sea Scrolls were recorded on parchment.