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've been searching for years for evidence about the origin of
parchment. Can you provide references?

> Vellum [Latin VITULUS = calf] is a kind of parchment. Whereas parchment is
> made from split sheepskin and has no grain pattern, vellum is made of whole
> calfskin (or, less traditionally, from other animals) and has a grain
> pattern on the hair side.

This distinction is based on the etymology of the word and is not how
"vellum" vs. "parchment" is used by craftsmen today.

> Papyrus [from the plant, Cyperus papyrus] is a paper-like material made by
> laying strips of the wet inner plant fiber across each other and beating
> them together to form sheets.
>
> Paper was invented in China by Ts'ai Lun. Ts'ai Lun was an official under
> the Chinese Emperor Ho Ti. In 105 C.E., he introduced the Emperor to the
> practical art of papermaking, and is officially credited for inventing
> paper. To make paper, vegetable fibers containing cellulose are cooked and
> beaten until they form a pulp in water. The pulp is reconstituted into thin
> sheets by depositing it onto a fine screen and drying.

Once again, some evidence regarding the specific date would be
appreciated. It's unknown to Tsien, *Science and Civilization in China*,
vol. *Papermaking*.
--
Peter T. Daniels grammatim@...