If you were asked the question “what is the most famous Scottish tradition” the wearing of tartan might be one of the first answers you give.

Almost everyone when asked that question would think about the Scottish kilt and the associated tartans that now symbolise Scotland throughout the world. Yet in the majority of cases they would be wrong in thinking of it as traditional wear!

A close examination of history will show us that although the Scots have indeed worn the kilt and the tartan from earliest times, the current style now bears very little resemblance to the original design. Indeed most of the now “traditional” tartans worn by Scottish Clans and sold throughout the world as such can only be traced back to the middle of the 18th century.

Historical Tartan Wear.

However history clearly shows that the kilt and tartans have been the true dress of Scots people for as long as their history has been recorded. Indeed there is still a sample of a small piece of Scottish brown and white tartan which was originally used as a stopper for an earthenware pot. This contained a treasure trove of silver coins and was found close to a Roman wall near Falkirk. This tartan cloth appears to have been buried in the third century.

There are also other references to tartans in various historic documents and paintings.

For example, a charter granted to Hector Maclean of Duart in 1587 for land in the neighbouring Isle of Islay details a rental payable in 60 ells of white, black and green colours. This is very similar to the pattern now being worn as the current Maclean Hunting tartan.

The Maclean Hunting tartan as described in the original charter dated 1587.

One account of the Battle of Killiecranke in 1689 described McDonnell’s men as being in a triple stripe. (However, it would be fair to assume that local communities would normally wear the cloth produced by their local weaver in quantities that would limit the number of different patterns. Invariably, most men of the district would be dressed in similar material.)

A modern Campbell of Argyle Tartan.
Note the current Campbell Clan Chief wears the 42nd (Black Watch) tartan
which is woven in brighter colours than that shown above.

Whilst the wearing of the Tartan was a distinctive form of identity enabling friend or foe to be recognised other forms of identity such as flags, standards, shields, feathers and plants. One story tells how a wounded clansman on the battlefield was nearly killed by his own side until he announced who he was to be told "we did not recognise you without your bonnet". Evidently the tartan of the kilt was not able to show to which clan he belonged.

A MacDonald of the Isles Hunting tartan. Generally hunting tartans are similar
but have darker colours which blend into the heather better.