Title
Parchment scraps identified by animal: sheep, deer, calf, and goat.
Publisher
Assembled by RBS staff,
Date
n.d.
Description
Parchment is made from animal skin that has been soaked in lye to loosen hair and help dissolve its fatty tissues, after which the skin is scraped thin and dried under tension. The result is a translucent or opaque substrate with a pale, cream-colored surface. Often made from calf, sheep, or goat, parchment can be created from other animal skins, including deerskin, as shown. Differences in hair follicle patterns can help distinguish between animals. Innovations in DNA testing have also helped to date and localize skins.
Source
From the collection of Rare Book School