[MR] BBC: Evidence for Earliest Tartan

[Groff, Garth (ggg9y)]

Noble Friends, Especially Fellow Scots,

BBC has a short story today on a Roman statue from North Africa which shows a "Caledonian" wearing tartan trews (breeches, or hosen) dating from the 3rd century CE. This closely tallies with the "Falkirk Tartan" from Scotland, a piece of checked wool cloth found as a stopper in an earthenware pot filled with 3rd century Roman coins. While neither are early evidence for the kilt (that holy grail of all Scottish wannabes that can only be dated to 1594), both prove the early existence of simple tartan cloth used as breeches or as a shoulder wrap. This statue is one more piece of evidence that justifies pre-kilt tartan for SCA re-enactors.

Here's the link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-20579219

Yours Aye,


Lord Mungo Napier, Who Wears Tartan Mogens