Mixing
Paper from human skin
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I'm writing a story about a people that lives in a very cold, icy environment. Their technological level of advancement ranges from stone age to dark ages in different areas.
I'd like them to record their knowledge in books, but I'm facing a problem. They live on fish, mollusks and cephalopods. No plants from which to make paper, and no land animals from which to make even leather pages. Also not much contact with peoples from other climates to get paper from trade.
That said, I have played quite a few videogames where you gather raw materials to craft your own tools. Recently I got a rather morbid one in which you can harvest skin from human corpses and use that skin to make fine, clear white, book quality sheets of paper. You can also use skin from other animals to make hard or soft covers for books.
What I would like to know is whether crafting good old notebook grade paper from human skin is possible; and if it is, by which process that could be achieved.
P.s.: I don't want this to involve cruelty - rather, I am giving it a respectful, poetic spin. Something along the lines of "our history does not end with death. She taught us with her voice when she lived. Now she tells the story of our people through her remains".
P.p.s.: I think this may be obvious, but I'll have it written here anyway. Skin color does not correlate with paper color. They will make the paper white as snow through dyes.
reality-check crafting
asked Sep 3 at 17:21
Renan
32.3k768166
 |Â
show 2 more comments
up vote
7
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I'm writing a story about a people that lives in a very cold, icy environment. Their technological level of advancement ranges from stone age to dark ages in different areas.
I'd like them to record their knowledge in books, but I'm facing a problem. They live on fish, mollusks and cephalopods. No plants from which to make paper, and no land animals from which to make even leather pages. Also not much contact with peoples from other climates to get paper from trade.
That said, I have played quite a few videogames where you gather raw materials to craft your own tools. Recently I got a rather morbid one in which you can harvest skin from human corpses and use that skin to make fine, clear white, book quality sheets of paper. You can also use skin from other animals to make hard or soft covers for books.
What I would like to know is whether crafting good old notebook grade paper from human skin is possible; and if it is, by which process that could be achieved.
P.s.: I don't want this to involve cruelty - rather, I am giving it a respectful, poetic spin. Something along the lines of "our history does not end with death. She taught us with her voice when she lived. Now she tells the story of our people through her remains".
P.p.s.: I think this may be obvious, but I'll have it written here anyway. Skin color does not correlate with paper color. They will make the paper white as snow through dyes.
reality-check crafting
asked Sep 3 at 17:21
Renan
32.3k768166
13
You cannot make paper from human skin, but you can make decent quality parchment. Parchment is a writing material just like paper, and can be used in the same way -- writing with ink or printing. The difference is that parchment is very much more expensive and very much more durable. We have parchment documents which are thousands of years old and are still perfectly legible. Even today, very important documents which are intended to last for a very long time are sometimes written or printed on parchment.
– AlexP
Sep 3 at 17:24
2
@AlexP that comment could be an answer ;)
– Renan
Sep 3 at 17:25
2
No, it couldn't. It would be an answer to the question "writing material made of human skin". The question asks for paper. AFAIK, human skin does not contain the kind of fibers which can be matted to make paper.
– AlexP
Sep 3 at 17:26
1
@AlexP The question was tagged reality-check so I think your comment would also be a valid answer. That is, reality-check allows for "no you can't" type answers.
– StephenG
Sep 3 at 17:46
2
As a (somewhat interesting) tangent the UK Government 'still' (as of 2016) used vellum to preserve its written laws: bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-35569281
– David Thomas
Sep 3 at 20:27
 |Â
show 2 more comments
up vote
7
down vote
favorite
up vote
7
down vote
favorite
I'm writing a story about a people that lives in a very cold, icy environment. Their technological level of advancement ranges from stone age to dark ages in different areas.
I'd like them to record their knowledge in books, but I'm facing a problem. They live on fish, mollusks and cephalopods. No plants from which to make paper, and no land animals from which to make even leather pages. Also not much contact with peoples from other climates to get paper from trade.
That said, I have played quite a few videogames where you gather raw materials to craft your own tools. Recently I got a rather morbid one in which you can harvest skin from human corpses and use that skin to make fine, clear white, book quality sheets of paper. You can also use skin from other animals to make hard or soft covers for books.
What I would like to know is whether crafting good old notebook grade paper from human skin is possible; and if it is, by which process that could be achieved.
P.s.: I don't want this to involve cruelty - rather, I am giving it a respectful, poetic spin. Something along the lines of "our history does not end with death. She taught us with her voice when she lived. Now she tells the story of our people through her remains".
P.p.s.: I think this may be obvious, but I'll have it written here anyway. Skin color does not correlate with paper color. They will make the paper white as snow through dyes.
reality-check crafting
asked Sep 3 at 17:21
Renan
32.3k768166
I'm writing a story about a people that lives in a very cold, icy environment. Their technological level of advancement ranges from stone age to dark ages in different areas.
I'd like them to record their knowledge in books, but I'm facing a problem. They live on fish, mollusks and cephalopods. No plants from which to make paper, and no land animals from which to make even leather pages. Also not much contact with peoples from other climates to get paper from trade.
That said, I have played quite a few videogames where you gather raw materials to craft your own tools. Recently I got a rather morbid one in which you can harvest skin from human corpses and use that skin to make fine, clear white, book quality sheets of paper. You can also use skin from other animals to make hard or soft covers for books.
What I would like to know is whether crafting good old notebook grade paper from human skin is possible; and if it is, by which process that could be achieved.
P.s.: I don't want this to involve cruelty - rather, I am giving it a respectful, poetic spin. Something along the lines of "our history does not end with death. She taught us with her voice when she lived. Now she tells the story of our people through her remains".
P.p.s.: I think this may be obvious, but I'll have it written here anyway. Skin color does not correlate with paper color. They will make the paper white as snow through dyes.
reality-check crafting
asked Sep 3 at 17:21
Renan
32.3k768166
asked Sep 3 at 17:21
Renan
32.3k768166
asked Sep 3 at 17:21
Renan
32.3k768166
asked Sep 3 at 17:21
Renan
32.3k768166
32.3k768166
13
You cannot make paper from human skin, but you can make decent quality parchment. Parchment is a writing material just like paper, and can be used in the same way -- writing with ink or printing. The difference is that parchment is very much more expensive and very much more durable. We have parchment documents which are thousands of years old and are still perfectly legible. Even today, very important documents which are intended to last for a very long time are sometimes written or printed on parchment.
– AlexP
Sep 3 at 17:24
2
@AlexP that comment could be an answer ;)
– Renan
Sep 3 at 17:25
2
No, it couldn't. It would be an answer to the question "writing material made of human skin". The question asks for paper. AFAIK, human skin does not contain the kind of fibers which can be matted to make paper.
– AlexP
Sep 3 at 17:26
1
@AlexP The question was tagged reality-check so I think your comment would also be a valid answer. That is, reality-check allows for "no you can't" type answers.
– StephenG
Sep 3 at 17:46
2
As a (somewhat interesting) tangent the UK Government 'still' (as of 2016) used vellum to preserve its written laws: bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-35569281
– David Thomas
Sep 3 at 20:27
 |Â
show 2 more comments
13
You cannot make paper from human skin, but you can make decent quality parchment. Parchment is a writing material just like paper, and can be used in the same way -- writing with ink or printing. The difference is that parchment is very much more expensive and very much more durable. We have parchment documents which are thousands of years old and are still perfectly legible. Even today, very important documents which are intended to last for a very long time are sometimes written or printed on parchment.
– AlexP
Sep 3 at 17:24
2
@AlexP that comment could be an answer ;)
– Renan
Sep 3 at 17:25
2
No, it couldn't. It would be an answer to the question "writing material made of human skin". The question asks for paper. AFAIK, human skin does not contain the kind of fibers which can be matted to make paper.
– AlexP
Sep 3 at 17:26
1
@AlexP The question was tagged reality-check so I think your comment would also be a valid answer. That is, reality-check allows for "no you can't" type answers.
– StephenG
Sep 3 at 17:46
2
As a (somewhat interesting) tangent the UK Government 'still' (as of 2016) used vellum to preserve its written laws: bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-35569281
– David Thomas
Sep 3 at 20:27
13
13
You cannot make paper from human skin, but you can make decent quality parchment. Parchment is a writing material just like paper, and can be used in the same way -- writing with ink or printing. The difference is that parchment is very much more expensive and very much more durable. We have parchment documents which are thousands of years old and are still perfectly legible. Even today, very important documents which are intended to last for a very long time are sometimes written or printed on parchment.
– AlexP
Sep 3 at 17:24
You cannot make paper from human skin, but you can make decent quality parchment. Parchment is a writing material just like paper, and can be used in the same way -- writing with ink or printing. The difference is that parchment is very much more expensive and very much more durable. We have parchment documents which are thousands of years old and are still perfectly legible. Even today, very important documents which are intended to last for a very long time are sometimes written or printed on parchment.
– AlexP
Sep 3 at 17:24
2
2
@AlexP that comment could be an answer ;)
– Renan
Sep 3 at 17:25
@AlexP that comment could be an answer ;)
– Renan
Sep 3 at 17:25
2
2
No, it couldn't. It would be an answer to the question "writing material made of human skin". The question asks for paper. AFAIK, human skin does not contain the kind of fibers which can be matted to make paper.
– AlexP
Sep 3 at 17:26
No, it couldn't. It would be an answer to the question "writing material made of human skin". The question asks for paper. AFAIK, human skin does not contain the kind of fibers which can be matted to make paper.
– AlexP
Sep 3 at 17:26
1
1
@AlexP The question was tagged reality-check so I think your comment would also be a valid answer. That is, reality-check allows for "no you can't" type answers.
– StephenG
Sep 3 at 17:46
@AlexP The question was tagged reality-check so I think your comment would also be a valid answer. That is, reality-check allows for "no you can't" type answers.
– StephenG
Sep 3 at 17:46
2
2
As a (somewhat interesting) tangent the UK Government 'still' (as of 2016) used vellum to preserve its written laws: bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-35569281
– David Thomas
Sep 3 at 20:27
As a (somewhat interesting) tangent the UK Government 'still' (as of 2016) used vellum to preserve its written laws: bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-35569281
– David Thomas
Sep 3 at 20:27
 |Â
show 2 more comments
6 Answers
6
active
oldest
votes
up vote
8
down vote
accepted
It's called Vellum
Quoted from the National Archives
Differences between Parchment, Vellum and Paper The term parchment is
a general term for an animal skin which has been prepared for writing
or printing. Parchment has been made for centuries, and is usually
calf, goat, or sheep skin. The term vellum from the French veau refers
to a parchment made from calf skin. The manufacture of parchment is
quite involved. After the skin is removed from the animal and any hair
or flesh is cleaned away, it is stretched on a wooden frame. While it
is stretched, the parchment maker or parchminer scrapes the surface of
the skin with a special curved knife. In order to create tension in
the skin, scraping is alternated by wetting and drying the skin. The
parchment is scraped, wetted, and dried several times to bring it to
the right thickness and tautness. Sometimes a final finish is achieved
using pumice as an abrasive followed by chalk in order to prepare the
surface of the skin to accept ink. Parchment has traditionally been
used instead of paper for important documents such as religious texts,
public laws, indentures, and land records as it has always been
considered a strong and stable material. The five pages of the U.S.
Constitution as well as the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of
Rights, and the Articles of Confederation are written on parchment.
The terms parchment and vellum are also used in the paper making
industry. Parchment paper is made from cellulose fibers prepared from
fir trees or plants such as cotton or flax. Paper can be made which
mimics the thickness and smooth surface of parchment. The terms refer
to the finish of the paper and should not be relied upon as an
indicator of its long term stability.
answered Sep 3 at 23:41
Thorne
11.6k31533
add a comment |Â
up vote
15
down vote
You can't have paper, you don't have the cellulose fibres but you can make human parchment. Parchment has been made from a variety of different animal skins over the centuries. The skins are dried, cured, and scraped smooth to make a consistent writing surface, it can then be cut to make even sheets, or not if you want that rough and ready look.
answered Sep 3 at 17:25
Ash
20.8k253128
1
The really paper like parchment, called vellum is made from the skin of, ... young children...
– Volker Siegel
Sep 4 at 12:57
@VolkerSiegel I'd expect that Vellum would be too costly of labour to use under the circumstances.
– Ash
Sep 4 at 12:59
add a comment |Â
up vote
7
down vote
Since you seem to be looking for methods of writing in general I'd like to suggest an alternative to using skin as paper.
Many writing systems started out as engravings/etchings. Think about Egyptian or Mayan hieroglyphs, but also Germanic runes, Sumerian cuneiform and Chinese oracle bone script.
In your world it could be common for inscriptions to be made on conveniently shaped mollusc shells. The word for page and shell might even be the same.
Besides wouldn't the ink freeze before it touches any paper? :)
answered Sep 4 at 0:41
é”大农
714
1
I think this is a really good idea. Shells would probably last longer in that environment. You wouldn't have to worry about people ripping things or getting lost in the wind. Wear from ice/water would be minimal too. You wouldn't have to worry about the writing bleeding from any ink. And this way, even if someone was blind, they could feel the inscriptions and read it like braille.
– Sensoray
Sep 4 at 13:55
Also they stack pretty neatly. You might even be able to bind them into something that resembles a book or rolodex.
– é”大农
Sep 6 at 10:56
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up vote
6
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You could possibly even make parchment from the skins of big fish or marine mammals such as whales and seals.
Here's a video of the parchment making process (you'll see the skins of dead animals, obviously) and here is a short video of how to tan fish skin to make fish leather (you'll see a dead fish, obviously), so why shouldn't they make fish parchment?
Due to the scaly outer surface, you would only be able to write on one side of the skin. So you could use fish parchment for teaching purposes (nobody is born as a master scribe!) and everyday use and seal or human parchment for religious skriptures.
answered Sep 3 at 18:21
YElm
3,937425
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up vote
3
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Human skin is a renewable resource!
https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/876290-overview
Split thickness skin graft, ready to go.
http://www.eatonhand.com/img/img00143.htm
Healed skin graft harvest site.
If someone has surgery and the resulting wound (or burn) is too big to pull together, you can cover it with a split thickness skin graft. That takes the top layer of skin from a healthy place on the body (thigh depicted) and uses it as a live bandage for the surgical site. There are machines to harvest split thickness skin grafts or you can do it by hand; see link. Atop the wound bed, the skin graft moves in to its new home. The lower half of the skin regenerates the top half. Everyone is happy!
In your world where the scribes and monks must use skin as parchment, they can harvest it from themselves and then heal. Large bodies are welcome for this endeavor, and the multiple healed overlapping scars on the bodies of these monks are signs of their piety and dedication. Your scribes might tattoo the works directly onto their bodies in life, then harvest the tattooed skin. When old age or death approaches, the magnum opus of these scholars can be a work tattooed over the entirety of their bodies, then harvested after death and revered as a saintlike relic.
answered Sep 3 at 18:42
Willk
86.3k21171374
2
Skin farms (for non-medical purposes) is a pretty creepy thought!
– elemtilas
Sep 3 at 19:43
1
I wouldn't do this in a world where human advancement is at stone age - dark ages level. Too high risk of infection.
– ndn
Sep 4 at 7:39
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
Human leather has been made, it was used to documents the crimes of murders, bound in their own skin. The BBC has a news article on a book that was bound in human leather. Wikipedia (as always) has an article.
I can't find any references for human vellum, but I won't be surprised if it was made.
answered Sep 3 at 21:15
CSM
26613
add a comment |Â
6 Answers
6
active
oldest
votes
6 Answers
6
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
8
down vote
accepted
It's called Vellum
Quoted from the National Archives
Differences between Parchment, Vellum and Paper The term parchment is
a general term for an animal skin which has been prepared for writing
or printing. Parchment has been made for centuries, and is usually
calf, goat, or sheep skin. The term vellum from the French veau refers
to a parchment made from calf skin. The manufacture of parchment is
quite involved. After the skin is removed from the animal and any hair
or flesh is cleaned away, it is stretched on a wooden frame. While it
is stretched, the parchment maker or parchminer scrapes the surface of
the skin with a special curved knife. In order to create tension in
the skin, scraping is alternated by wetting and drying the skin. The
parchment is scraped, wetted, and dried several times to bring it to
the right thickness and tautness. Sometimes a final finish is achieved
using pumice as an abrasive followed by chalk in order to prepare the
surface of the skin to accept ink. Parchment has traditionally been
used instead of paper for important documents such as religious texts,
public laws, indentures, and land records as it has always been
considered a strong and stable material. The five pages of the U.S.
Constitution as well as the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of
Rights, and the Articles of Confederation are written on parchment.
The terms parchment and vellum are also used in the paper making
industry. Parchment paper is made from cellulose fibers prepared from
fir trees or plants such as cotton or flax. Paper can be made which
mimics the thickness and smooth surface of parchment. The terms refer
to the finish of the paper and should not be relied upon as an
indicator of its long term stability.
answered Sep 3 at 23:41
Thorne
11.6k31533
add a comment |Â
up vote
8
down vote
accepted
It's called Vellum
Quoted from the National Archives
Differences between Parchment, Vellum and Paper The term parchment is
a general term for an animal skin which has been prepared for writing
or printing. Parchment has been made for centuries, and is usually
calf, goat, or sheep skin. The term vellum from the French veau refers
to a parchment made from calf skin. The manufacture of parchment is
quite involved. After the skin is removed from the animal and any hair
or flesh is cleaned away, it is stretched on a wooden frame. While it
is stretched, the parchment maker or parchminer scrapes the surface of
the skin with a special curved knife. In order to create tension in
the skin, scraping is alternated by wetting and drying the skin. The
parchment is scraped, wetted, and dried several times to bring it to
the right thickness and tautness. Sometimes a final finish is achieved
using pumice as an abrasive followed by chalk in order to prepare the
surface of the skin to accept ink. Parchment has traditionally been
used instead of paper for important documents such as religious texts,
public laws, indentures, and land records as it has always been
considered a strong and stable material. The five pages of the U.S.
Constitution as well as the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of
Rights, and the Articles of Confederation are written on parchment.
The terms parchment and vellum are also used in the paper making
industry. Parchment paper is made from cellulose fibers prepared from
fir trees or plants such as cotton or flax. Paper can be made which
mimics the thickness and smooth surface of parchment. The terms refer
to the finish of the paper and should not be relied upon as an
indicator of its long term stability.
answered Sep 3 at 23:41
Thorne
11.6k31533
add a comment |Â
up vote
8
down vote
accepted
up vote
8
down vote
accepted
It's called Vellum
Quoted from the National Archives
Differences between Parchment, Vellum and Paper The term parchment is
a general term for an animal skin which has been prepared for writing
or printing. Parchment has been made for centuries, and is usually
calf, goat, or sheep skin. The term vellum from the French veau refers
to a parchment made from calf skin. The manufacture of parchment is
quite involved. After the skin is removed from the animal and any hair
or flesh is cleaned away, it is stretched on a wooden frame. While it
is stretched, the parchment maker or parchminer scrapes the surface of
the skin with a special curved knife. In order to create tension in
the skin, scraping is alternated by wetting and drying the skin. The
parchment is scraped, wetted, and dried several times to bring it to
the right thickness and tautness. Sometimes a final finish is achieved
using pumice as an abrasive followed by chalk in order to prepare the
surface of the skin to accept ink. Parchment has traditionally been
used instead of paper for important documents such as religious texts,
public laws, indentures, and land records as it has always been
considered a strong and stable material. The five pages of the U.S.
Constitution as well as the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of
Rights, and the Articles of Confederation are written on parchment.
The terms parchment and vellum are also used in the paper making
industry. Parchment paper is made from cellulose fibers prepared from
fir trees or plants such as cotton or flax. Paper can be made which
mimics the thickness and smooth surface of parchment. The terms refer
to the finish of the paper and should not be relied upon as an
indicator of its long term stability.
answered Sep 3 at 23:41
Thorne
11.6k31533
It's called Vellum
Quoted from the National Archives
Differences between Parchment, Vellum and Paper The term parchment is
a general term for an animal skin which has been prepared for writing
or printing. Parchment has been made for centuries, and is usually
calf, goat, or sheep skin. The term vellum from the French veau refers
to a parchment made from calf skin. The manufacture of parchment is
quite involved. After the skin is removed from the animal and any hair
or flesh is cleaned away, it is stretched on a wooden frame. While it
is stretched, the parchment maker or parchminer scrapes the surface of
the skin with a special curved knife. In order to create tension in
the skin, scraping is alternated by wetting and drying the skin. The
parchment is scraped, wetted, and dried several times to bring it to
the right thickness and tautness. Sometimes a final finish is achieved
using pumice as an abrasive followed by chalk in order to prepare the
surface of the skin to accept ink. Parchment has traditionally been
used instead of paper for important documents such as religious texts,
public laws, indentures, and land records as it has always been
considered a strong and stable material. The five pages of the U.S.
Constitution as well as the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of
Rights, and the Articles of Confederation are written on parchment.
The terms parchment and vellum are also used in the paper making
industry. Parchment paper is made from cellulose fibers prepared from
fir trees or plants such as cotton or flax. Paper can be made which
mimics the thickness and smooth surface of parchment. The terms refer
to the finish of the paper and should not be relied upon as an
indicator of its long term stability.
answered Sep 3 at 23:41
Thorne
11.6k31533
answered Sep 3 at 23:41
Thorne
11.6k31533
answered Sep 3 at 23:41
Thorne
11.6k31533
answered Sep 3 at 23:41
Thorne
11.6k31533
11.6k31533
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
up vote
15
down vote
You can't have paper, you don't have the cellulose fibres but you can make human parchment. Parchment has been made from a variety of different animal skins over the centuries. The skins are dried, cured, and scraped smooth to make a consistent writing surface, it can then be cut to make even sheets, or not if you want that rough and ready look.
answered Sep 3 at 17:25
Ash
20.8k253128
1
The really paper like parchment, called vellum is made from the skin of, ... young children...
– Volker Siegel
Sep 4 at 12:57
@VolkerSiegel I'd expect that Vellum would be too costly of labour to use under the circumstances.
– Ash
Sep 4 at 12:59
add a comment |Â
up vote
15
down vote
You can't have paper, you don't have the cellulose fibres but you can make human parchment. Parchment has been made from a variety of different animal skins over the centuries. The skins are dried, cured, and scraped smooth to make a consistent writing surface, it can then be cut to make even sheets, or not if you want that rough and ready look.
answered Sep 3 at 17:25
Ash
20.8k253128
1
The really paper like parchment, called vellum is made from the skin of, ... young children...
– Volker Siegel
Sep 4 at 12:57
@VolkerSiegel I'd expect that Vellum would be too costly of labour to use under the circumstances.
– Ash
Sep 4 at 12:59
add a comment |Â
up vote
15
down vote
up vote
15
down vote
You can't have paper, you don't have the cellulose fibres but you can make human parchment. Parchment has been made from a variety of different animal skins over the centuries. The skins are dried, cured, and scraped smooth to make a consistent writing surface, it can then be cut to make even sheets, or not if you want that rough and ready look.
answered Sep 3 at 17:25
Ash
20.8k253128
You can't have paper, you don't have the cellulose fibres but you can make human parchment. Parchment has been made from a variety of different animal skins over the centuries. The skins are dried, cured, and scraped smooth to make a consistent writing surface, it can then be cut to make even sheets, or not if you want that rough and ready look.
answered Sep 3 at 17:25
Ash
20.8k253128
answered Sep 3 at 17:25
Ash
20.8k253128
answered Sep 3 at 17:25
Ash
20.8k253128
answered Sep 3 at 17:25
Ash
20.8k253128
20.8k253128
1
The really paper like parchment, called vellum is made from the skin of, ... young children...
– Volker Siegel
Sep 4 at 12:57
@VolkerSiegel I'd expect that Vellum would be too costly of labour to use under the circumstances.
– Ash
Sep 4 at 12:59
add a comment |Â
1
The really paper like parchment, called vellum is made from the skin of, ... young children...
– Volker Siegel
Sep 4 at 12:57
@VolkerSiegel I'd expect that Vellum would be too costly of labour to use under the circumstances.
– Ash
Sep 4 at 12:59
1
1
The really paper like parchment, called vellum is made from the skin of, ... young children...
– Volker Siegel
Sep 4 at 12:57
The really paper like parchment, called vellum is made from the skin of, ... young children...
– Volker Siegel
Sep 4 at 12:57
@VolkerSiegel I'd expect that Vellum would be too costly of labour to use under the circumstances.
– Ash
Sep 4 at 12:59
@VolkerSiegel I'd expect that Vellum would be too costly of labour to use under the circumstances.
– Ash
Sep 4 at 12:59
add a comment |Â
up vote
7
down vote
Since you seem to be looking for methods of writing in general I'd like to suggest an alternative to using skin as paper.
Many writing systems started out as engravings/etchings. Think about Egyptian or Mayan hieroglyphs, but also Germanic runes, Sumerian cuneiform and Chinese oracle bone script.
In your world it could be common for inscriptions to be made on conveniently shaped mollusc shells. The word for page and shell might even be the same.
Besides wouldn't the ink freeze before it touches any paper? :)
answered Sep 4 at 0:41
é”大农
714
1
I think this is a really good idea. Shells would probably last longer in that environment. You wouldn't have to worry about people ripping things or getting lost in the wind. Wear from ice/water would be minimal too. You wouldn't have to worry about the writing bleeding from any ink. And this way, even if someone was blind, they could feel the inscriptions and read it like braille.
– Sensoray
Sep 4 at 13:55
Also they stack pretty neatly. You might even be able to bind them into something that resembles a book or rolodex.
– é”大农
Sep 6 at 10:56
add a comment |Â
up vote
7
down vote
Since you seem to be looking for methods of writing in general I'd like to suggest an alternative to using skin as paper.
Many writing systems started out as engravings/etchings. Think about Egyptian or Mayan hieroglyphs, but also Germanic runes, Sumerian cuneiform and Chinese oracle bone script.
In your world it could be common for inscriptions to be made on conveniently shaped mollusc shells. The word for page and shell might even be the same.
Besides wouldn't the ink freeze before it touches any paper? :)
answered Sep 4 at 0:41
é”大农
714
1
I think this is a really good idea. Shells would probably last longer in that environment. You wouldn't have to worry about people ripping things or getting lost in the wind. Wear from ice/water would be minimal too. You wouldn't have to worry about the writing bleeding from any ink. And this way, even if someone was blind, they could feel the inscriptions and read it like braille.
– Sensoray
Sep 4 at 13:55
Also they stack pretty neatly. You might even be able to bind them into something that resembles a book or rolodex.
– é”大农
Sep 6 at 10:56
add a comment |Â
up vote
7
down vote
up vote
7
down vote
Since you seem to be looking for methods of writing in general I'd like to suggest an alternative to using skin as paper.
Many writing systems started out as engravings/etchings. Think about Egyptian or Mayan hieroglyphs, but also Germanic runes, Sumerian cuneiform and Chinese oracle bone script.
In your world it could be common for inscriptions to be made on conveniently shaped mollusc shells. The word for page and shell might even be the same.
Besides wouldn't the ink freeze before it touches any paper? :)
answered Sep 4 at 0:41
é”大农
714
Since you seem to be looking for methods of writing in general I'd like to suggest an alternative to using skin as paper.
Many writing systems started out as engravings/etchings. Think about Egyptian or Mayan hieroglyphs, but also Germanic runes, Sumerian cuneiform and Chinese oracle bone script.
In your world it could be common for inscriptions to be made on conveniently shaped mollusc shells. The word for page and shell might even be the same.
Besides wouldn't the ink freeze before it touches any paper? :)
answered Sep 4 at 0:41
é”大农
714
edited Sep 4 at 0:55
answered Sep 4 at 0:41
é”大农
714
answered Sep 4 at 0:41
é”大农
714
answered Sep 4 at 0:41
é”大农
714
714
1
I think this is a really good idea. Shells would probably last longer in that environment. You wouldn't have to worry about people ripping things or getting lost in the wind. Wear from ice/water would be minimal too. You wouldn't have to worry about the writing bleeding from any ink. And this way, even if someone was blind, they could feel the inscriptions and read it like braille.
– Sensoray
Sep 4 at 13:55
Also they stack pretty neatly. You might even be able to bind them into something that resembles a book or rolodex.
– é”大农
Sep 6 at 10:56
add a comment |Â
1
I think this is a really good idea. Shells would probably last longer in that environment. You wouldn't have to worry about people ripping things or getting lost in the wind. Wear from ice/water would be minimal too. You wouldn't have to worry about the writing bleeding from any ink. And this way, even if someone was blind, they could feel the inscriptions and read it like braille.
– Sensoray
Sep 4 at 13:55
Also they stack pretty neatly. You might even be able to bind them into something that resembles a book or rolodex.
– é”大农
Sep 6 at 10:56
1
1
I think this is a really good idea. Shells would probably last longer in that environment. You wouldn't have to worry about people ripping things or getting lost in the wind. Wear from ice/water would be minimal too. You wouldn't have to worry about the writing bleeding from any ink. And this way, even if someone was blind, they could feel the inscriptions and read it like braille.
– Sensoray
Sep 4 at 13:55
I think this is a really good idea. Shells would probably last longer in that environment. You wouldn't have to worry about people ripping things or getting lost in the wind. Wear from ice/water would be minimal too. You wouldn't have to worry about the writing bleeding from any ink. And this way, even if someone was blind, they could feel the inscriptions and read it like braille.
– Sensoray
Sep 4 at 13:55
Also they stack pretty neatly. You might even be able to bind them into something that resembles a book or rolodex.
– é”大农
Sep 6 at 10:56
Also they stack pretty neatly. You might even be able to bind them into something that resembles a book or rolodex.
– é”大农
Sep 6 at 10:56
add a comment |Â
up vote
6
down vote
You could possibly even make parchment from the skins of big fish or marine mammals such as whales and seals.
Here's a video of the parchment making process (you'll see the skins of dead animals, obviously) and here is a short video of how to tan fish skin to make fish leather (you'll see a dead fish, obviously), so why shouldn't they make fish parchment?
Due to the scaly outer surface, you would only be able to write on one side of the skin. So you could use fish parchment for teaching purposes (nobody is born as a master scribe!) and everyday use and seal or human parchment for religious skriptures.
answered Sep 3 at 18:21
YElm
3,937425
add a comment |Â
up vote
6
down vote
You could possibly even make parchment from the skins of big fish or marine mammals such as whales and seals.
Here's a video of the parchment making process (you'll see the skins of dead animals, obviously) and here is a short video of how to tan fish skin to make fish leather (you'll see a dead fish, obviously), so why shouldn't they make fish parchment?
Due to the scaly outer surface, you would only be able to write on one side of the skin. So you could use fish parchment for teaching purposes (nobody is born as a master scribe!) and everyday use and seal or human parchment for religious skriptures.
answered Sep 3 at 18:21
YElm
3,937425
add a comment |Â
up vote
6
down vote
up vote
6
down vote
You could possibly even make parchment from the skins of big fish or marine mammals such as whales and seals.
Here's a video of the parchment making process (you'll see the skins of dead animals, obviously) and here is a short video of how to tan fish skin to make fish leather (you'll see a dead fish, obviously), so why shouldn't they make fish parchment?
Due to the scaly outer surface, you would only be able to write on one side of the skin. So you could use fish parchment for teaching purposes (nobody is born as a master scribe!) and everyday use and seal or human parchment for religious skriptures.
answered Sep 3 at 18:21
YElm
3,937425
You could possibly even make parchment from the skins of big fish or marine mammals such as whales and seals.
Here's a video of the parchment making process (you'll see the skins of dead animals, obviously) and here is a short video of how to tan fish skin to make fish leather (you'll see a dead fish, obviously), so why shouldn't they make fish parchment?
Due to the scaly outer surface, you would only be able to write on one side of the skin. So you could use fish parchment for teaching purposes (nobody is born as a master scribe!) and everyday use and seal or human parchment for religious skriptures.
answered Sep 3 at 18:21
YElm
3,937425
edited Sep 4 at 4:10
answered Sep 3 at 18:21
YElm
3,937425
answered Sep 3 at 18:21
YElm
3,937425
answered Sep 3 at 18:21
YElm
3,937425
3,937425
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
up vote
3
down vote
Human skin is a renewable resource!
https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/876290-overview
Split thickness skin graft, ready to go.
http://www.eatonhand.com/img/img00143.htm
Healed skin graft harvest site.
If someone has surgery and the resulting wound (or burn) is too big to pull together, you can cover it with a split thickness skin graft. That takes the top layer of skin from a healthy place on the body (thigh depicted) and uses it as a live bandage for the surgical site. There are machines to harvest split thickness skin grafts or you can do it by hand; see link. Atop the wound bed, the skin graft moves in to its new home. The lower half of the skin regenerates the top half. Everyone is happy!
In your world where the scribes and monks must use skin as parchment, they can harvest it from themselves and then heal. Large bodies are welcome for this endeavor, and the multiple healed overlapping scars on the bodies of these monks are signs of their piety and dedication. Your scribes might tattoo the works directly onto their bodies in life, then harvest the tattooed skin. When old age or death approaches, the magnum opus of these scholars can be a work tattooed over the entirety of their bodies, then harvested after death and revered as a saintlike relic.
answered Sep 3 at 18:42
Willk
86.3k21171374
2
Skin farms (for non-medical purposes) is a pretty creepy thought!
– elemtilas
Sep 3 at 19:43
1
I wouldn't do this in a world where human advancement is at stone age - dark ages level. Too high risk of infection.
– ndn
Sep 4 at 7:39
add a comment |Â
up vote
3
down vote
Human skin is a renewable resource!
https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/876290-overview
Split thickness skin graft, ready to go.
http://www.eatonhand.com/img/img00143.htm
Healed skin graft harvest site.
If someone has surgery and the resulting wound (or burn) is too big to pull together, you can cover it with a split thickness skin graft. That takes the top layer of skin from a healthy place on the body (thigh depicted) and uses it as a live bandage for the surgical site. There are machines to harvest split thickness skin grafts or you can do it by hand; see link. Atop the wound bed, the skin graft moves in to its new home. The lower half of the skin regenerates the top half. Everyone is happy!
In your world where the scribes and monks must use skin as parchment, they can harvest it from themselves and then heal. Large bodies are welcome for this endeavor, and the multiple healed overlapping scars on the bodies of these monks are signs of their piety and dedication. Your scribes might tattoo the works directly onto their bodies in life, then harvest the tattooed skin. When old age or death approaches, the magnum opus of these scholars can be a work tattooed over the entirety of their bodies, then harvested after death and revered as a saintlike relic.
answered Sep 3 at 18:42
Willk
86.3k21171374
2
Skin farms (for non-medical purposes) is a pretty creepy thought!
– elemtilas
Sep 3 at 19:43
1
I wouldn't do this in a world where human advancement is at stone age - dark ages level. Too high risk of infection.
– ndn
Sep 4 at 7:39
add a comment |Â
up vote
3
down vote
up vote
3
down vote
Human skin is a renewable resource!
https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/876290-overview
Split thickness skin graft, ready to go.
http://www.eatonhand.com/img/img00143.htm
Healed skin graft harvest site.
If someone has surgery and the resulting wound (or burn) is too big to pull together, you can cover it with a split thickness skin graft. That takes the top layer of skin from a healthy place on the body (thigh depicted) and uses it as a live bandage for the surgical site. There are machines to harvest split thickness skin grafts or you can do it by hand; see link. Atop the wound bed, the skin graft moves in to its new home. The lower half of the skin regenerates the top half. Everyone is happy!
In your world where the scribes and monks must use skin as parchment, they can harvest it from themselves and then heal. Large bodies are welcome for this endeavor, and the multiple healed overlapping scars on the bodies of these monks are signs of their piety and dedication. Your scribes might tattoo the works directly onto their bodies in life, then harvest the tattooed skin. When old age or death approaches, the magnum opus of these scholars can be a work tattooed over the entirety of their bodies, then harvested after death and revered as a saintlike relic.
answered Sep 3 at 18:42
Willk
86.3k21171374
Human skin is a renewable resource!
https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/876290-overview
Split thickness skin graft, ready to go.
http://www.eatonhand.com/img/img00143.htm
Healed skin graft harvest site.
If someone has surgery and the resulting wound (or burn) is too big to pull together, you can cover it with a split thickness skin graft. That takes the top layer of skin from a healthy place on the body (thigh depicted) and uses it as a live bandage for the surgical site. There are machines to harvest split thickness skin grafts or you can do it by hand; see link. Atop the wound bed, the skin graft moves in to its new home. The lower half of the skin regenerates the top half. Everyone is happy!
In your world where the scribes and monks must use skin as parchment, they can harvest it from themselves and then heal. Large bodies are welcome for this endeavor, and the multiple healed overlapping scars on the bodies of these monks are signs of their piety and dedication. Your scribes might tattoo the works directly onto their bodies in life, then harvest the tattooed skin. When old age or death approaches, the magnum opus of these scholars can be a work tattooed over the entirety of their bodies, then harvested after death and revered as a saintlike relic.
answered Sep 3 at 18:42
Willk
86.3k21171374
answered Sep 3 at 18:42
Willk
86.3k21171374
answered Sep 3 at 18:42
Willk
86.3k21171374
answered Sep 3 at 18:42
Willk
86.3k21171374
86.3k21171374
2
Skin farms (for non-medical purposes) is a pretty creepy thought!
– elemtilas
Sep 3 at 19:43
1
I wouldn't do this in a world where human advancement is at stone age - dark ages level. Too high risk of infection.
– ndn
Sep 4 at 7:39
add a comment |Â
2
Skin farms (for non-medical purposes) is a pretty creepy thought!
– elemtilas
Sep 3 at 19:43
1
I wouldn't do this in a world where human advancement is at stone age - dark ages level. Too high risk of infection.
– ndn
Sep 4 at 7:39
2
2
Skin farms (for non-medical purposes) is a pretty creepy thought!
– elemtilas
Sep 3 at 19:43
Skin farms (for non-medical purposes) is a pretty creepy thought!
– elemtilas
Sep 3 at 19:43
1
1
I wouldn't do this in a world where human advancement is at stone age - dark ages level. Too high risk of infection.
– ndn
Sep 4 at 7:39
I wouldn't do this in a world where human advancement is at stone age - dark ages level. Too high risk of infection.
– ndn
Sep 4 at 7:39
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
Human leather has been made, it was used to documents the crimes of murders, bound in their own skin. The BBC has a news article on a book that was bound in human leather. Wikipedia (as always) has an article.
I can't find any references for human vellum, but I won't be surprised if it was made.
answered Sep 3 at 21:15
CSM
26613
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
Human leather has been made, it was used to documents the crimes of murders, bound in their own skin. The BBC has a news article on a book that was bound in human leather. Wikipedia (as always) has an article.
I can't find any references for human vellum, but I won't be surprised if it was made.
answered Sep 3 at 21:15
CSM
26613
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
up vote
1
down vote
Human leather has been made, it was used to documents the crimes of murders, bound in their own skin. The BBC has a news article on a book that was bound in human leather. Wikipedia (as always) has an article.
I can't find any references for human vellum, but I won't be surprised if it was made.
answered Sep 3 at 21:15
CSM
26613
Human leather has been made, it was used to documents the crimes of murders, bound in their own skin. The BBC has a news article on a book that was bound in human leather. Wikipedia (as always) has an article.
I can't find any references for human vellum, but I won't be surprised if it was made.
answered Sep 3 at 21:15
CSM
26613
answered Sep 3 at 21:15
CSM
26613
answered Sep 3 at 21:15
CSM
26613
answered Sep 3 at 21:15
CSM
26613
26613
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
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13
You cannot make paper from human skin, but you can make decent quality parchment. Parchment is a writing material just like paper, and can be used in the same way -- writing with ink or printing. The difference is that parchment is very much more expensive and very much more durable. We have parchment documents which are thousands of years old and are still perfectly legible. Even today, very important documents which are intended to last for a very long time are sometimes written or printed on parchment.
– AlexP
Sep 3 at 17:24
2
@AlexP that comment could be an answer ;)
– Renan
Sep 3 at 17:25
2
No, it couldn't. It would be an answer to the question "writing material made of human skin". The question asks for paper. AFAIK, human skin does not contain the kind of fibers which can be matted to make paper.
– AlexP
Sep 3 at 17:26
1
@AlexP The question was tagged reality-check so I think your comment would also be a valid answer. That is, reality-check allows for "no you can't" type answers.
– StephenG
Sep 3 at 17:46
2
As a (somewhat interesting) tangent the UK Government 'still' (as of 2016) used vellum to preserve its written laws: bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-35569281
– David Thomas
Sep 3 at 20:27