Parchment

 Parchment is a kind of a paper that is mainly used in Europe of middle age. It is very durable because of way to make it. The parchment is made from beast skin, for example, sheep, horse, and so on. The way to make it is same as the way to make leather. A different point on making parchment is to pull leather from all sides with strong power to fix fibers. This action makes parchment thin and well to write. On the other hand, chemical treatment is used in making leather. It is different point. Parchment has the right side and the reverse side, the side which had stick flesh and the other side which had had furs.

Parchment is made in about 3 steps. First, we need wash the animal skin because skin is dirty. Second step is washing a skin to take away furs and fats. Final step is pulling skin with woody frame. In making parchment, maker must stand smell of skin.

Parchment first appeared in ancient Egypt (about 2500 B.C.). Then, Parchment is a thick. On other words, ancient Egyptians wrote a letter on leather itself. However, it is B.C. 600 that the leather changed its figure into “parchment”. In short, the “parchment” that we know as the paper made from animal skin was born then. And, the center of a parchment was Turkey. A method to make parchment that is used in present was invented in that place. Later, Turkey had been the part of the Roman Empire. So, parchment spread in the country. In the middle ages, because of using of the church to make the Bibles, Parchments spread in very wade area. However, parchment was still expensive because of difficulty of making parchment.

Even today, parchment is expensive. However, the parchment is a sturdy than paper, long-lasting. Therefore, this could be used to such official document.