Scottish Highland Clans Didn't Have Their Own Tartans

In this video, Louee Dessent from Survive History talks to Tod Booth from reenactment group Rose and Thistle, to find out whether highland clans really had their own tartans in the 18th century. While regional tartans might have existed, it turns out that clan tartans were a later invention. Bagpipes on the other hand were used during the 18th century in Scotland, though they aren't uniquely Scottish.

[jimpeppercorn]

It’s so cool how you’re tapping into different war re-enactments to glean information. I can’t say I’ve personally seen someone do that

[Whatsuppbuddies]

The significance of the Scottish Tartan and traditional dress is an excellent example of what Hobsbawm referred to as an invented (or possibly reinvented) tradition.

[michaelmazowiecki]

Sir Walter Scott was a key promoter of clan tartans. Tartans were banned following the 1745. Scott, as the festivities organizer, promoted the tartan in the Royal visit to Edinburgh in 1822, with both the King and Scottish aristocracy wearing newly invented clan tartans .

[TXRBL]

This caused me to subscribe. Bravo. Thank you for pointing out that “clan tartans” did not exist until around 1820 or so. Clan tartans have a place, but not a great deal of history.

[BernardVisagie]

It's amazing how these two sides could sit down and have a civil discussion about Scottish dress.

[jameskaazaeros]

The pipes are eternal, some say the first song on the pipes is what created Scotland

[django]

Bagpipes are a very ancient instrument with variants cropping up throughout the world. It's not for nothing that they're strongly associated with Scotland but they aren't exclusively Scottish.

[Federico]

Very good I love historical reensctors and historical accuracy!!!

[RobertJonesWightpaint]

Brief but informative - I learned more in a few minutes than I've ever learned in such a time-frame before.

[lancecorporalveteran]

There's a man who lived in one town where the jacobite army came and as they stood around he drew pictures of them and most notably a some of them didn't have shoes

[TomorrowWeLive]

BTW this isn't just true of Scots but of many "indigenous" clothes, festivals and traditions around the world. Certainly true of the maories in my country. What they try to present as their ancestral heritage was actually invented very recently, post European contact, and sometimes only in the 20th century!

[avramlevitter]

Bagpipes were once much more widespread in Europe, but while in a lot of Europe it fell out of use, it stayed in use in Scotland.

[terrifiedt]

Golden knowledge from this lad, So few folk know that the clan colors were a later thing.

[christal]

Bagpipes go back so far that they also existed in ancient Greece! Some kind of bagpipe probably goes back to Proto-Indo-Eueopen times.

[alexamattera]

Wow! First video I’ve seen & I’m subscribed to your channel! 🎉🩶🩵👊🏻

[stephfoxwell]

Clans used sprigs of heather or feathers in their caps to distinguish.
Clan Tartan was largely a Victorian invention.

[eldermillennial]

The main reason is because they made you stand out like a sore thumb on the battlefield. I saw Mark Meacham (Count Dankula) in his clan tartan, and it has the most gaudy yellow background! Someone wearing that at Colluden might as well have a target painted on his arse or ballocks!

[thomasmoore]

English guy explaining all this to us! Always welcome!
Thank you Mr. Hinglishman!

[alexwilliamson]

Most tartans were coloured with what plants, natural colourings were available, Sir Walter Scott has a lot to do with the reinvention of the modern kilt, and it’s associated tartans, I can wear 2 tartans from father and mother side. I love wearing it!

[blueeyeswhitedragon]

The "Bonnie Prince Charlie" caricature of the Highland Scottish dress, which is what we today assume was traditional, is a truth that many (even people of Scotland) find hard to comprehend.
Prince Charles was actually spoofing the Scott's attire and it was not done in a spirit of admiration, but aa a joke that caught on with the English aristocracy and even, God forbid, the Lowland Scottish people, and eventually became the acknowledged "true" Scottish wear.
The actual Scottish dress of the Highland Scotts was much more practical for the weather and hardship of living in Scotland. Much longer kilts and full coverage capes were the norm before the banning of wearing the Scottish original dress, and "Bonnie Prince Charlie" reintroduced the new kilt as we know today.
P.S. The story of the bagpipes in Scotland follows much the same story, where today the actual traditional bagpipe tunes of Scotland are kept alive in Canada by the Metis people of Scottish decent, and the bagpipes as played in Scotland are basically only military music as approved by the English overlords.
(A story worth looking up)