Ancient books carry a lot of wide range of information.From them we can learn how to develop society and that any materials used for the manufacture of various items.How could these monuments of medieval culture survive to the present day?Of course, much would depend on the conditions, which contained ancient tomes.But starring is still the material of which they were made.Crafted leather for ancient books, the name of which is still often used by mankind for daily use - is the main theme of this article.
Features parchment
So, what is the parchment?If we talk very briefly, it is a finely dressed leather for ancient books.From the preceding it papyrus parchment has a higher strength, which makes the book more durable.In addition, this material has a high ductility.Books and letters of parchment could bend and straighten again, they do not break.
Crafted leather for ancient books had another huge advantage over other materials: it is not exposed to wetting and clogging.Keep a book of this material was easier and cheaper than papyrus scrolls.All this allowed the parchment to win the leading role and replace a short-lived and fragile papyrus.
origin of the word "parchment»
first dressed leather for ancient books mentioned in the manuscripts dating from the 2nd millennium BC.e.It was then that Ptolemy V forbid Papyrus export to neighboring countries.During this period in Pergamum (a city in Asia Minor), local authorities planned to organize one of the largest libraries.As a result of the acute shortage of papyrus, local craftsmen took up the invention material rolls.As a result, a brief survey, they chose the finely tanned skin of calves.Name parchment originally sounded like «charta pergamena», which means "Pergamon sheets."A few centuries after him well established called "parchment".
process of making parchment
Production of parchment - a very difficult and long process, and that is what led to the high cost of books of this material.To start with the shot of a young animal skin washed with pure water, then dipped it into a vat of lye ash (liming skins).After a certain period of time dressed leather was removed from the solution and dry away from sunlight, but certainly in the wind.Degreasing the skin thus prepared chalk, rubbing it into the surface of the material.Then scrape the skin for a long time and leveled with a pumice stone.
quality parchment depended on where it was produced.The cheapest was dressed leather for ancient books, produced in the southern regions.There was carefully treated with only inside (meat) hides part, whereby its one side is covered with bristles.In northern Europe, the parchment skin subjected to double-sided processing, was white and smooth on both sides, so it was worth many times more expensive.
what to write on parchment
The books and documents made of parchment, recording made with feathers: goose, swan or peacock.Inks were very diverse.The strongest are those that were made from the nuts of the ink with the addition of gum.
Later it became fashionable to write text with colored ink.In the 11th century, priority was given to the red ink, 13 were added blue and green colors.By the mid-14th century into use gold and silver inks that were used to write the header and the "holy names" in the Gospel and the Psalter.
