The author defines parchment and describes the manufacture, structure and properties of old and modern parchment. Because few research methods have been developed for parchment, an attempt was made to apply leather tests. Parchment samples were analyzed to determine the following: pH value and differential number (using a micro-pH electrode); total fat content (petroleum ether etc.); unbound fat (Soxhlet extraction with petroleum ether); moisture content (total); moisture absorption, moisture release; ammonium sulfate (precipitated with barium sulfate); sulfuric acid and organic acid (titration with a dilute caustic solution); water solubles (extraction with distilled water, weighing residue, and subjecting it to XRD); copper and iron ions content (atomic absorption spectrophotometry); and shrinkage temperature (using BLMRA techniques). Results are summarized.