Measuring the impact of parchment production on skin collagen stable isotope (δ13C and δ15N) values. Issue 1 (1st January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Doherty, Sean; Alexander, Michelle M.; Vnouček, Jiří; Newton, Jason; Collins, Matthew J.
• Is Part Of: Science and technology of archaeological research. Volume 7:Issue 1(2021)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 12
• Publication Date: 2021-01-01
• Subjects: Stable isotope analysis -- parchment -- skin; Archaeology -- Methodology -- Periodicals; 930.10721
• DOI: 10.1080/20548923.2020.1868132
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2054-8923

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Parchment is one of the most abundant resources in archives across the world and is a unique time-sensitive material through which centuries of livestock economies, trade and craft can be explored. We examine the impact of structural and chemical modifications during production to δ 13 C and δ 15 N values in the skin, particularly the removal of cutaneous keratins and lipids and the conversion of amide functional groups into carboxyl groups via alkaline hydrolysis. Through the manufacture of 51 parchment skins (sheep, goat, calf and pig) using both historic and modern manufacturing techniques, we found production resulted in a small enrichment in 13 C (average +0.12‰) and 15 N (+0.26‰). Our results pave the way for the isotopic analysis of parchment in paleodietary and paleoenvironmental studies for the historic period and establish the acceptable C:N ratios in deamidated collagenous tissues.