Parchment is one of the most widely used bases for writing, made from specially treated animal skins. The most commonly used skins are those of sheep, calves, and goats. According to legend, in order to increase the number of manuscripts in the Library of Alexandria and surpass the scholarly zeal of King Euthymius of Pergamon, the Egyptian ruler Ptolemy II banned the export of papyrus to other countries. This ban led to the city of Pergamon in Asia Minor becoming the dominant centre for parchment production. Trade developed to such an extent that a legend arose that parchment was invented in Pergamon.This information, originating from the writings of Pliny the Elder (Natural History, Book XIII, 69–70), is largely untrue, because parchment was used in Anatolia, Egypt, and other places before the rise of the city of Pergamon. In the early years, this material was called diphtheria (Greek) or membrana (Latin). Later, parchment got its name from Pergamum, not because its production began in that city, but because a high-quality, light, and fine version of it was produced there. It was used as a base for writing text in the form of scrolls and later in the form of codices. Gradually, parchment replaced papyrus and became the new standard, dominating for centuries until it was replaced by paper.
Today, the National Library of St. Cyril and St. Methodius holds 184 manuscripts and fragments written on parchment, which have been thoroughly researched and described. The earliest is the Enina Apostle from the end of the 10th century and the beginning of the 11th century, which is included in UNESCO's Memory of the World Register. The earliest is the Enina Apostle from the end of the 10th and beginning of the 11th century, which is included in UNESCO's Memory of the World Register. While working on the project "The Fragility of Documentary Heritage: Research on Damage to the Collections of the St. Cyril and St. Methodius National Library" as part of project BG16RFPR002-1.014-0011 "Sustainable Development of the Center for Excellence "Heritage BG" while searching for damage in books and documents, the experts, guided by their knowledge, predicted that parchment would be found only in its role as a writing surface. It turns out that in a significant part of the collections of rare and valuable old printed Latin, French, and other books, parchment was used as a material for making bindings. In some cases, parchment was used as a covering for covers and lids, while in others it was used on its own, resembling the soft cover of a modern book. This tradition in bookbinding is common in Western Europe. The books examined proved to be interesting finds, which will now be studied by various specialists. They are testimony to the richness of the collections preserved in the St. Cyril and St. Methodius National Library.
