National Parchment Day

Celebrated on 06/24/2026

Quick Fact

National Parchment Day, celebrated on July 26th, honors the material that preserved history for millennia. Parchment, made from animal skins, is so durable that some ancient scrolls still exist today, like the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Origins and Establishment of National Parchment Day

National Parchment Day was established in 2018 by the Parchment Preservation Society, a nonprofit dedicated to historical document conservation. The date, July 26th, was chosen to commemorate the anniversary of the first recorded use of parchment in ancient Pergamon (now Bergama, Turkey) around 200 BCE. The society aimed to raise awareness about the fragility of historical documents and the importance of preservation techniques.

Evolution and Modern Commemoration

Initially observed by archival institutions and museums, the holiday has grown to include educational events, workshops on parchment making, and exhibitions of rare manuscripts. In recent years, libraries and universities host digital scanning days to preserve parchment documents. Social media campaigns encourage people to share photos of historical documents, and some communities hold reenactments of medieval scriptoriums.

Facts & General Observations

• It takes approximately 100-150 sheepskins to produce enough parchment for a single medieval Bible.
• Parchment can last over 1,000 years if stored properly, far outlasting paper, which typically degrades in a few centuries.
• The word "parchment" derives from "Pergamum," the ancient city where it was perfected as a writing surface.

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