Analytical Methods

Analytical Methods

Protein analysis: eZooMS

We will continue the provision of eZooMS (MALDI-TOF peptide MS fingerprinting) of eraser crumbs to conservation studios across the world. This will enable us to build timeslices of use of different animals and quality of parchment in different regions of Europe over time.


We have demonstrated that parchment, like skin is a rich source of DNA and that new capture techniques can rapidly build up detailed genetic relationships from ancient samples


High resolution digital imagery of parchment is becoming increasingly important. B2C will undertake an imaging campaign aimed at extracting biological and craft data from parchment. Can we identify diseases within the skin or breeds from preserved follicle patterns? Is it possible to recognise a single knife being used across multiple hides from flaws in the blade? Parchment maker and conservator Jiří Vnouček has been able to use marks left by the lunellum to reassemble bifolia into hides. Can we recognize different parchmeniers in the sweep of their knives?

We will expand the successful crowdsourcing of sampling started by Sarah Fiddyment’s PALIMPSEST Marie Curie Fellowship, and prepare 20 sampling kits complete with clip on dual Macro Lenses or smartphone cameras in order that collaborating archives can image follicle patterns and repairs in parchment and upload these to shared online high resolution albums. We envisage significant improvements in depth sensing capabilities from the next generations of dual macro-lens attachments.

Historical research

The project will work with a range of historians interested in scribal production, parchment materiality, innovation and interdisciplinarity . There have been few studies of the parchment trade in England but there is more evidence from France. In order to document the origin of the runs of English archival parchments, We will use Account Books (e.g. from Solicitors, Stationers and Government to establish the location of parchment makers from which skins are obtained and the frequency with which solicitors are purchasing membranes ).