Scottish cage: the history of traditional kilt ornament
Scottish cage: the history of traditional kilt ornament

Video: Scottish cage: the history of traditional kilt ornament

Video: Scottish cage: the history of traditional kilt ornament
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Tartan is a special fabric from which kilts are made
Tartan is a special fabric from which kilts are made

The kilt is considered the subject of national pride of the Scots. It is made of woolen plaid fabric (tartan) different colors. Kilt Is not just a piece of clothing. According to his drawing, they determine which of the ancient clans a person belongs to. The features of the tartan on national clothes - further in the review.

The earliest depiction of Scottish soldiers in kilts. Woodcut, 1631
The earliest depiction of Scottish soldiers in kilts. Woodcut, 1631

The traditional Scottish kilt is made from a special fabric - tartan, woven from natural wool. Its length can reach 7, 3 meters. Tartan has a rather ancient history. Translated from Celtic, this word means "criss-cross" or "color of the area." By the color and special design of the tartan, it was possible to determine which clan the Scotsman belonged to and what area he came from.

The oldest piece of tartan was discovered in the vicinity of the city of Falkirk. Researchers believe it is at least 1,700 years old.

Prince Charles Edward Stewart
Prince Charles Edward Stewart

Until the 19th century, natural dyes were used to dye tartan threads. They got a black tint from alder, yellow from birch, heather gave the threads an orange color, blueberries - purple, blackberries - blue.

In 1745, when the British suppressed the Jacobite uprising, who wanted to put representatives of the Stuart dynasty on the throne, they banned the Scots from wearing kilts. Some obeyed the order, but the Scots, who lived high in the mountains, did not take off the kilt, even at the cost of their own lives.

King George IV wearing the Royal Stewart tartan
King George IV wearing the Royal Stewart tartan

By the end of the 18th century, after the ban was lifted, the Scots realized that many tartan designs had been forgotten. A large-scale campaign to revive the national heritage has begun. Tartans were restored from paintings and ancient books by tailors. In 1822, King George IV came to Edinburgh. His arrival was marked by the slogan "Let everyone wear their own tartan." Thanks to this, many new designs on woolen fabric appeared in Scotland.

Liam Neeson as Rob Roy McGregor. The Scots did not take the cinematic image of the ancestor, because the tartan of the MacGregor clan is of a different color
Liam Neeson as Rob Roy McGregor. The Scots did not take the cinematic image of the ancestor, because the tartan of the MacGregor clan is of a different color

Initially, tartans were owned by 11 Scottish clans. These drawings were created strictly in accordance with the laws of heraldry. They are all registered in Edinburgh. It was forbidden to change the drawings.

The colors of the most popular tartans
The colors of the most popular tartans

The most popular tartans today look like this: 1. "Caledonia" - a universal tartan that can be worn by every Scotsman;

2. "Black Watch" - a military tartan, which became the basis for many clan tartans, such as "Gordon" and "Campbell";

3. "Dress Campbell" - the ceremonial tartan of the Campbell clan;

4. "Burberry" - this tartan was worn by generals of the British army during the Boer War in 1890;

5. "Dress Gordon" - an elegant version of the Gordon clan tartan;

6. "Royal Stewart" - the world's most famous tartan;

A Scotsman wearing a kilt
A Scotsman wearing a kilt

Today in Scotland there are more than 6 thousand varieties of tartan. Commercial organizations, government agencies, private clubs and even the ambulance service have their own designs on fabrics.

Prince Charles often appears at parties in a kilt
Prince Charles often appears at parties in a kilt

Scotland is an amazing country too. These 10 fun facts about the country of kilts and whiskey will impress anyone.

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