Parchment was a writing material prepared from the skin of an animal, such as a sheep, goat, or calf. As writing material, parchment was more durable than papyrus. (See Glossary, “Papyrus.”) The photo (1) shows what is left of an ancient parchment notebook dated from the second century C.E. Originally, this notebook would have contained individual sheets of parchment bound together along one edge, much like a book today. Scrolls (2) could also be made of parchment. Individual parchment sheets were joined together to form one long roll. When asking Timothy to bring “the parchments” (2Ti 4:13), Paul may have been referring to leather scrolls of the Hebrew Scriptures. Or he may have wanted his personal study notes; according to some scholars, the Greek word for “parchments” can also refer to parchment notebooks for private notes or drafts.