Vellum

Vellum is a smooth way to write. It is made from animal skin. Most vellum comes from a young calf.

Making it takes many steps. First, workers wash the skin with lime. Then, they stretch it on a frame. They use a curved knife to scrape it. This makes the skin very clean.

It is much stronger than paper. Some vellum can last for 1,000 years! Because it lasts so long, people use it for important papers. It is a very special material for books.

Vellum is a smooth material used for writing. It is made from animal skin. Many people use the word vellum for calfskin. Other skins like sheep or goat can be used too. This material is very strong. Some vellum can last for over 1,000 years! Because it lasts so long, it is used for very important things. For example, the Magna Carta was written on vellum.

Many old books, called codices, were made this way. Even the first Gutenberg Bible had some copies on vellum.

Making vellum takes a careful set of steps. First, workers wash the skin with lime. This helps remove the hair. Next, they stretch the skin on a frame called a herse. They use a curved knife called a lunellum to scrape it. This makes the surface clean and smooth. Finally, they use chalk or lime to get the right look. Today, we also have paper vellum. It is made from plant fibers. It is much cheaper than real animal skin.

Vellum is a special material used for writing and printing. It is made from animal skin or membrane. Many people use vellum to make single pages, scrolls, or codices, which are types of books. This material is very smooth and durable. Because it is so strong, it can last for a very long time. Some animal vellum has lasted for more than 1,000 years! This makes it perfect for important documents like diplomas.

Making vellum is a careful, step-by-step process. First, the skin is washed with water and lime to soften it. This helps remove the hair. Next, the skin is stretched tight on a frame called a herse. Workers use a crescent-shaped knife called a lunellum to scrape the skin. They alternate between scraping, wetting, and drying to create tension. Finally, the surface is cleaned with pumice and treated with lime or chalk. This gives the vellum its final look and makes it ready for writing.

People have used vellum for many centuries. The word vellum comes from the Old French word "velin," meaning calfskin. In Europe, it was often used for the very best quality writing material. While calfskin is most common, people have also used sheep, goat, or even deer. Some very fine skins were called "uterine vellum."

In the past, the lines on the pages were made using a method called pricking. This involved making small holes to guide the ruler. This helped scribes draw straight lines for their text.

Many famous books and items were made with vellum. For example, the Winchester Bible used about 250 calfskins. Even Johannes Gutenberg printed some of his first Bibles on vellum in 1455. In Jewish tradition, all Sifrei Torah are written on vellum. It has also been used for beautiful paintings and maps. Today, the company William Cowley in England still makes traditional vellum. They have been working this way since 1870. It is a rare and expensive material to find now.

Today, you can find different kinds of vellum. There is "paper vellum," which is made from plant fibers instead of animal skin. It is much cheaper and used for things like technical drawings or blueprints. Some people also use vellum for musical instruments like the banjo. Because vellum is different from paper, it needs special care. It must be kept in a place with steady temperature and humidity. If it gets too dry, it can become fragile. If it gets too damp, it might grow mold.

Vellum is a high-quality material prepared from animal skin or membrane. It is primarily used as a surface for writing and printing. This material can be fashioned into single pages, long scrolls, or codices, which are types of books. While often used interchangeably with the term parchment, vellum is frequently distinguished by its superior quality. Many people also define vellum specifically as material made from calfskin. Because it is quite durable, vellum can last for over a millennium. This longevity makes it a preferred choice for significant historical documents and diplomas.

The manufacturing process is a precise sequence of cleaning and tensioning. First, the animal skin is washed with water and lime, which is calcium hydroxide. The skin soaks in this lime for several days to soften it and remove hair. Once the skin is clear, two distinct sides emerge: the hairy side and the body side. The inside body side is typically lighter and more refined for writing. To create the necessary tension, the skin is stretched on a frame called a herse. Workers use a crescent-shaped knife known as a lunellum to scrape the skin. This process alternates between scraping, wetting, and drying to ensure the membrane is properly prepared.

There are several ways to categorize and name these skins. The word vellum comes from the Old French "velin," meaning calfskin. In historical European contexts, it referred to the highest quality skin regardless of the animal source. Common animals included sheep, goats, and calves, though deer or camels were used occasionally. Some extremely fine skins were called "uterine vellum," a term for skins from young or unborn animals.

Modern scholars often prefer the broader term "membrane." This avoids confusion because it is difficult to identify the specific animal or age without scientific analysis. Some modern craft practitioners reserve the word vellum strictly for calfskin.

Preparing a page for a scribe involves several technical steps. Once the vellum is dry, the surface is cleaned with pumice. It is then treated with lime or chalk to achieve its final look and texture. To ensure ink adheres well, makers use a technique called "pouncing," which involves rubbing the sheets with a round, flat object. Scribes also used a method called "pricking" to prepare for ruling. This involved making small holes in the membrane to guide the lines. Horizontal lines served as baselines for text, while vertical lines marked the column boundaries.

History shows that vellum has been used for many prestigious purposes. The Winchester Bible, a twelfth-century work, required approximately 250 calfskins. In 1455, Johannes Gutenberg printed a quarter of his first Bible edition on vellum. In religious traditions, all Sifrei Torah are written on kosher klaf or vellum. Vellum was also vital for art, such as portolan charts and paintings that needed to travel long distances. It was even used for bookbindings, known as limp vellum, during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

In the modern era, animal vellum has become expensive and difficult to source. The British government recently moved toward using archival paper for many official acts. However, the UK House of Lords has continued to fund vellum for certain legislative uses. In England, the company William Cowley has produced traditional vellum since 1870. Today, many people use "paper vellum," which is actually made from plant cellulose fibers. This imitation is much cheaper and is used for technical drawings, blueprints, and tracing.

Because vellum is organic, it requires very specific environmental conditions for preservation. It is best stored in a stable environment with a constant temperature. The relative humidity should ideally be kept at 30 percent. If the humidity drops below 11 percent, the material becomes fragile and prone to breaking. Conversely, if humidity rises above 40 percent, the vellum may suffer from mold, fungus, or gelation. This creates a unique challenge for libraries, as the ideal storage for vellum differs from the ideal storage for paper.