Liber

(literally, the rind of the papyrus; Gr. βιβλίον, from the Egyptian word byblos, the papyrus plant). A book.—Parchment ( membrana ) was invented by Eumenes, king of Pergamos; hence its name of pergamentum. The paper ( charta ) or parchment was only written upon on one side; the other side was stained yellow. Writings were frequently washed off, and the parchment used again was called palimpsest us. The sheets forming a book were joined together and rolled round a staff, and then called a volume ( volumen ). The stick was usually ornamented with balls or bo es, ornamented or painted, called umbilici. The ends of the roll, carefully cut, polished with pumice-stone, and coloured black, were called gem inæ frontes. The reader held the staff in his left hand to unroll the sheet ( evolvere librum ), as he proceeded, with his right. The roll, if valuable, was kept in a parchment case, which was stained with a purple colour, or yellow. The title of the book ( titulus or index ) was written on a small strip of papyrus or parchment with a light red colour (coccum or minium); and this practice was the origin of the art of illumination.