Tartan genealogy

[figheadair]

I would also assume (perhaps incorrectly) that the local materials available / preferred for dyes would give a somewhat regional colour-palette that would aid in "localizing" the original pre-proscription tartans to the educated viewer of the day.

Please correct me if this assumption is wrong.

ith:

The are relatively few pre-Proscription artefacts surviving but of those that do all those that I've examined that include red and blue (about 99% of them) were dyed with cochineal/lac (generally the former) and indigo respectively all of which were imported natural dyestuffs. Note, cochineal and lac are insect and not vegetable dyes.

As most native dye plants are fairly widespread there is little possibility of localising the colours. The exception to this would be some the lichen dyes known in Gaelic as 'crotal' and in particular 'dark crotal' Parmelia cetarophilia which only grows on the west coast and was traditionally used in Harris Tweed to give that lovely ginger colour and fantastic aromatic smokey small.

The tartan would have been designed by the Chief himself, right? That would also be a major factor.

The chief would have had nothing to do with the design of a tartan any more than he would the design of a jacket, sporran, sword etc etc. Like everyone else he would have obtained his cloth either locally of further afield based on what was available, what he liked and could afford.

[Nick the DSM]

Right, right. What I meant was it would be approved by him? Not saying that ALL the clan wore exactly that but something that was based on that design, right?

[figheadair]

Right, right. What I meant was it would be approved by him? Not saying that ALL the clan wore exactly that but something that was based on that design, right?

The concept of the chief approving a particular tartan dates from the early C19th when the Highland Society of London tried to preserve what they assumed was a tradition but in fact which they inspired and codified. The collection that they began in 1816 required the chiefs, most of whom were members, to submit a sealed piece of their clan tartan and so the 'tradition' began.

A couple of years before that (1810-15) General Cockburn made his collection in which he sought to gather together the correct family patterns of the day. It's interesting that there are so many inconsistancies between the two which shows just how unfixed clan tartans were at that time.