This article from a British conference reports on tests conducted on ancient archaeological, historical and contemporary writing materials derived from animal skins. Examination using ultraviolet (UV) light and analysis using iron (Fe) tests were undertaken on the following: (1) contemporary untanned materials (fresh, salted, limed, bated and pickled calf and sheep skin; gelatin; soluble collagen) (2) modern parchments (sheep, goat, calf, rabbit) (3) modern leathers (vegetable, chrome, zirconium, formaldehyde, oil (chamois), aluminum and smoke tanned (4) twelfth to nineteenth century English parchments (5) Romano-British leathers (6) Roman leathers (first century A.D.) (7) leathers from Wadi Murabba'at Palestine (A.D. 132) (8) Semitic (Samaritan, Arabic, Coptic) bookbindings (9) ancient Egyptian (Moshquedda, Theban (Habu), Kahun, Tutankhamon, Aramaic) (10) Dead Sea scrolls and (11) contemporary Jewish scrolls. This article is a reference for identification and conservation of parchment and leather. -- CCI