Parchment - Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words
Parchment
[ 1,,G3200, membrana ]is a Latin word, properly an adjective, from membrum, a limb," but denoting "skin, parchment." The Eng. word "parchment" is a form of pergamena, an adjective signifying "of Pergamum," the city in Asia Minor where "parchment" was either invented or brought into use. The word membrana is found in 2 Timothy 4:13, where Timothy is asked to bring to the Apostle "the books, especially the parchments." The writing material was prepared from the skin of the sheep or goat. The skins were first soaked in lime for the purpose of removing the hair, and then shaved, washed, dried, stretched and ground or smoothed with fine chalk or lime and pumice stone. The finest kind is called "vellum," and is made from the skins of calves or kids.