1 (Chapter 2) What is the first thing to do to the calf's skin?
2 (Chapter 2) What happens next?
3 (Chapter 2) After rinsing, what is done to it?
4 (Chapter 2) What is the vellum used for?
5 What is the difference between vellum and parchment?
Fact File
There was no paper in medieval times so manuscripts were written on: (a) Vellum - calf's skin (b) Parchment - sheep's skin. Both skins were prepared in the same way. The hair was cleaned from the skin by putting it into a bath of lime. When the skin was soft and the hair was burnt off, then the skin was scraped with a sharp knife and rinsed in clean water until all the lime was taken out of the skin.
Draw...!
Draw a picture of an illuminated manuscript.
Explore...!
A piece of vellum was about the size of a large sheet of newspaper. For small books it was folded into eight and the leaves were then cut. Try doing that and writing your own story on your little book.
Imagine......!
Imagine that you are looking through some old boxes in the loft and you come across a piece of vellum. There is a secret written on it and although the inks are old and faded you can just read it...Write what happens next.
Imagine that you go back in time and a monk explains to you about vellum and you explain to him about paper. Write down what both of you say.
