Randall Hunt wrote:

>Mr. Daniels wrote:
>
>
>
>>Vellum is (etymologically) calfskin, usually denoting merely a fine
>>grade of parchment. Paper would go together with papyrus (and palm
>>leaves) as a vegetal writing surface.
>>
>>
>
>
>Parchment [from Pergamum, an ancient Greek city] was developed under King
>Eumenes II (197-158 B.C.E.). It is made traditionally from the split skin
>of a sheep or goat, soaked in lime, scraped, stretched and dried.
>

I'll have to look this up and get the details right, but this reminds me
of a distinction made in the Talmud regarding writing Torah, Mezuzah,
and phylactery scrolls. They speak of three kinds of parchment: g'vil,
klaf, and duchsutus (I think). One is unsplit, one is split and is the
thick (flesh?) side, and one is split and is the other side. And they
discuss which can be used to write which article, and on which side each
flavor of hide is to be written, etc etc...

~mark