Most of us who have Scottish descent go searching to see if we have
a tartan or "plaid" which belongs to our family. There are more than
2,500 tartans contained in the Register of All Publicly Known Tartans.
| Although the plaids were used in
Highlands in very early times with a piece having been found that
is believed to come from the 3rd century. The wearing of Highland dress
was forbidden, in the Act of Proscription of 1747, for 35 years after the
battle of Culloden. Parliament thought that this would contribute
to the eradication of the clan system - which of course did not work. The
Clan tartans were established and named towards the end of the 19th century
when Highland dress became fashionable after King George IV wore
a kilt during a visit in 1822. |
|
There
are many kinds of tartans:
Chief's Tartan
Such a tartan is considered to be the personal tartan, worn
only by the Chief and his immediate family.
Royal Tartans
There are many tartans closely connected with the Royal
Family which are worn fairly widely, but others,which should
never be worn by anyone outside to Royal Family.
Hunting Tartans
The idea of a darker pattern being required for outdoor wear, so
that its wearer would stand out less clearly on the open
hillside, is again Victorian in origin. It is possible that the
demand arose because of the very harsh colours of the early
synthetic dyes.
Regimental Tartans
Before the ´45, six Independent Companies (of soldiery) were
raised to police the Highlands of Scotland, so creating a
Regiment called the BlackWatch.
Before 1740, they used a dark tartan which came to be called
the Black Watch. Its origin is still argued but when tartan was
proscribed it became the Government tartan and is now a
Universal one that all may wear. Anyone who longs to be
Scottish can wear this one.
Mourning Tartans
As the name implies these are used in connection with death,
and are usually a design using a combination of black and
white. |
