The pages of illuminated manuscripts were primarily made from animal skin, most commonly processed from calf, sheep, or goat. This meticulously prepared material is known as parchment or, more specifically, vellum when made from calfskin.
The Foundation: Animal Skin
At the heart of every illuminated manuscript page lies carefully prepared animal skin. Far from being a simple raw hide, this material underwent a rigorous process to become a durable, smooth, and flexible surface suitable for writing, painting, and enduring centuries.
The primary animals used included:
- Calfskin: Often considered the finest and most luxurious, resulting in a type of parchment specifically known as vellum. Vellum is renowned for its smooth, non-greasy surface, strength, and ability to hold pigments brilliantly.
- Sheepskin: A widely available and common choice, producing parchment that can vary in quality but was generally durable and readily accessible.
- Goatskin: Another popular option, yielding a strong and often beautifully textured parchment.
These materials provided a robust and long-lasting alternative to papyrus or early forms of paper, which were less durable and not as suitable for the intricate artwork and long-term preservation intended for these valuable books.
From Skin to Page: The Creation of Parchment and Vellum
The transformation of animal skin into parchment or vellum was a specialized craft, crucial for the creation of high-quality manuscripts. This intricate process involved several key steps:
- Soaking and Hair Removal: The animal skin was first soaked in water and then in a lime solution to loosen hair and flesh.
- Scraping (Fleshing and De-hairing): Artisans used curved knives (lunellum) to meticulously scrape away any remaining hair, flesh, and fat from both sides of the skin.
- Stretching: The cleaned skin was then stretched tightly on a frame (herse) and secured with cords and pegs.
- Drying and Further Scraping: While stretched, the skin was allowed to dry under tension. During this drying period, it was continuously scraped to achieve uniform thickness, smoothness, and flexibility. This scraping also helped to roughen the surface slightly, allowing ink and paint to adhere better.
- Finishing: The finished parchment was then cut into sheets, folded, and bound to form the book. The superior quality of vellum often meant it was reserved for the most important texts.
| Animal Type | Resulting Material | Characteristics | Common Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calf | Vellum | Exceptionally smooth, durable, strong, and flexible; often translucent and of superior quality. | High-status religious texts, royal charters, important legal documents. |
| Sheep | Parchment | Common, durable, good writing surface; can be thicker or have more texture than vellum. | General manuscripts, educational texts, literary works. |
| Goat | Parchment | Strong, often with a distinctive grain or texture; good for writing and painting. | Diverse range of manuscripts, from legal to literary. |
Why Animal Skin? The Advantages of Parchment and Vellum
The choice of animal skin for manuscript pages was not arbitrary; it offered significant advantages that made it the ideal medium for preserving knowledge and art over centuries:
- Durability and Longevity: Parchment and vellum are incredibly robust, resisting tearing, decay, and insect damage far better than early paper or papyrus. This resilience allowed illuminated manuscripts to survive for hundreds, even thousands, of years.
- Smooth Surface: The meticulous preparation process resulted in a smooth, non-fibrous surface that was perfect for both writing with quills and applying intricate painted decorations, including the precious metals like gold and silver that characterize "illuminated" manuscripts.
- Ink and Pigment Adhesion: The unique texture of parchment allowed inks to sit on the surface without bleeding and pigments to adhere vibrantly, crucial for the detailed miniature paintings and gilded elements.
- Erasability: Mistakes could be carefully scraped off the surface of parchment, allowing for corrections, though this was a labor-intensive process.
- Availability: In Europe, animal skins were a readily available resource, making them a practical choice for widespread book production before the widespread adoption of paper.
The Enduring Legacy
The use of animal skin as the primary material for manuscript pages highlights the craftsmanship and dedication involved in creating these historical treasures. Each page, whether of fine vellum or sturdy parchment, provided a resilient canvas for scribes and artists to combine text, vibrant illustrations, and glimmering gold, ensuring that the wisdom and artistry of the past could literally shine through the ages.
