As we all know, parchment is derived from the skin of common livestock, which is what gives it its widespread availability. Some different types of skin used to create parchment include calf skin, which is also called vellum, and was considered to produce the best-quality writing support. Others were produced from sheep and goat skin. The type of skin used to make a manuscript can provide clues to its origin. For instance, according to Clemens and Graham, goatskin was a popular material in Italy, whereas sheep and calfskin were more common in manuscripts from northern Europe. 

Different aspects of the finished parchment can be used to distinguish between different animal skins. Clemens and Graham give a general guideline for determining calfskin from sheepskin: sheepskin tends to have a yellow tint and may have some shiny or greasy areas on the page, as opposed to calfskin, which is sometimes whiter and may show more obvious veins.