Repeat question on historical kilt

[themacmartin]

A while back, I posted an excerpt from an historical account, concerning an ancestory. I have been TDY since that time (gotta love the Army) and cannot find if there were any responses. So, Ill throw it out there again for comment.

At the mustering of the clans at Delmacomer, early in 1689, under Dundee, the young Letterfinlay (MacMartin) in the Grameid is described here, as it is translated into modern English:

The garter ribbons hanging at his leg were dyed with Corycian saffron, and with the tint of the Tyrian shell, as was his plaid.

First, were the combatants wearing kilts? Or is the plaid described some other type of garment.

Second, was the base color for the described a saffron or purple?

[TheOfficialBren]

If my memory serves me correctly this is within the period of the so-called 'great kilt,' the Rob Roy type; although not every single person wore a plaide exclusively as a kilt it would not be unreasonable to assume this, however.

It seems, from reading the description of the tartan, that saffron was the base colour and Tryrian was the complimentary colour. The proportions are not decribed but it would be reasonable to say that perhaps the majority would have been saffron.

I hope this helps.

[Downunder Kilt]

He himself in variegated array advances with lofty mien.
The garter ribbons hanging at his leg were dyed with Corycian saffron,
and with the tint of the Tyrian shell, as was his plaid

The above may give a further clue.
Variegated array - has the meaning of "striped"
With the tint of - usually means that the colour of the original fabric has been overdyed to provide a deeper(darker) or lighter colour
To me, he had on striped clothes but his garter ribbons and plaid were yellow but showed a purplish hue, go figure

[TheOfficialBren]

Ah! Good observation, Downunder Kilt.

[themacmartin]

In that case, the closest thing I can figure is that it describes the current Cameron tartan. That cadet branch in Letterfinlay were geographically adjacent to their lands and interacted with them. The story about them inter-marrying with a Cameron chief is a load of hooey, though.

[Nick the DSM]

Well, that might be a stretch as most of the tartans today were created in nineteenth century and maybe a few in the 1700s. I checked on Tartan Authority and the earliest dated Cameron of Erracht tartan in 1793, I would rather believe that it was a random tartan made with those colours instead.

[themacmartin]

This particular passage was with Dundee in 1689, when the four progenitors of Cameron were still active, like MacMartin. This is probably an early rendition.