PARCHMENT, THE FAMOUS WRITTING SUPPORT: FROM ANCIENT TIMES TO PRESENT

The parchment is an unparalleled writing medium, to which humanity is dependent on most of the written testimonies of our history and culture. Parchment is much more resistant to breakage and water action compared to papyrus, which was the quintessentially used writing material for the entire Greek and Latin world and the Near and Middle East since the third century AD. Parchment reached its peak during the Middle Ages, but then set slowly due to the advent of printing and the introduction in Europe of papermaking technology, a much more economical and suitable material for printing, but also much less durable. However, the use of parchment has not completely disappeared, it continues to be used for restoration, for diplomas and government documents (laws are still transcribed on parchment in the UK). The centers where parchment is still manufactured in Europe are only a few, and within the Bucharest Leather and Footwear Research Institute Division is the only place in Eastern Europe where this craft has been revived. In addition to the use of this material in the restoration activity, parchment is a necessity to make products with innovative design, strategic development of production to meet consumer preferences at affordable prices.