Register | Login


In the early Middle Ages, books were made from animal hides known as parchment, rather than from paper. Preparing the parchment was a delicate business. The freshly skinned hide is first washed to remove blood and grime, and then soaked in a strong alkali solution to loosen out the hairs. After staying in the de-hairing solution for more than a week, the skin is attached to a wooden frame and stretched tight like a drum. While the skin is drying, the parchment maker would take a sharp knife and scrap the skin to remove the last of the hair and get the skin to the right thickness. This was the most delicate part. Too much pressure during the scrapping process or a slip of the knife could leave elongated rips or holes on the parchment.

parchment-stitch-6

Read more »
© Amusing Planet, 2017.


Canal du Midi France
Canal du Midi France
Canaries As Poisonous Gas Detectors
Canaries As Poisonous Gas Detectors
Canary Girls The World War One Women Who Turned Yellow
Canary Girls The World War One Women Who Turned Yellow
canoeing in a crystal clear lake, italy
canoeing in a crystal clear lake, italy
Cape Agulhas: The Place Where Two Oceans Meet
Cape Agulhas: The Place Where Two Oceans Meet
Carl Wilhelm Scheele The Unlucky Chemist
Carl Wilhelm Scheele The Unlucky Chemist
Carlsbad Caverns Underground Lunchroom: An Eatery 750 Feet Below The Ground
Carlsbad Caverns Underground Lunchroom: An Eatery 750 Feet Below The Ground
Carol Milnes Knitted Glass
Carol Milnes Knitted Glass