Animal origin of 13th-century uterine vellum revealed using noninvasive peptide fingerprinting
Fiddyment S., Holsinger B., Ruzzier C., Devine A., Binois A., Albarella U., Fischer R., Nichols E., Curtis A., Cheese E., Teasdale MD., Checkley-Scott C., Milner SJ., Rudy KM., Johnson EJ., Vnouček J., Garrison M., McGrory S., Bradley DG., Collins MJ.
Significance This study reports the first use, to our knowledge, of triboelectric extraction of protein from parchment. The method is noninvasive and requires no specialist equipment or storage. Samples can be collected without the need to transport the artifacts; instead, researchers can sample when and where possible and analyze when required. The level of access we have achieved highlights the importance of this technique. For this study, we have extracted proteins from 513 parchment samples, used to resolve the long-standing question of the origin of “uterine vellum.” We find no evidence of unexpected species, such as rabbit or squirrel. We suggest that uterine vellum was often an achievement of technological production using available resources, and would not have demanded unsustainable agricultural practices.