Scotland's oldest tartan found in Highland peat bog to be displayed at V&A Dundee
A piece of tartan found in a Highland peat bog about 40 years ago is to go on display for the first time at the V&A Dundee.
New scientific research has revealed the scrap of fabric, found in a bog in Glen Affric, can be dated to between 1500 - 1600, making it the oldest known surviving specimen of true tartan in Scotland.
The Glen Affric tartan, measuring around 55cm by 43cm, will go on display for the first time at V&A Dundee’s Tartan exhibition opening on Saturday.
It has been described as a "remarkable discovery", deserving national attention and preservation.
The Scottish Tartans Authority commissioned dye analysis and radiocarbon testing on the woollen textile to prove its age.
The first investigation was dye analysis carried out by analytical scientists from National Museums Scotland.
Using high resolution digital microscopy, four colours were visually identified for dye analysis – green and brown and possibly red and yellow.
The dye analysis confirmed the use of indigo/woad in the green but was inconclusive for the other colours, probably due to the dyestuff degradation state.
However, there were no artificial or semi-synthetic dyestuffs involved in the making of the tartan, which pointed to a date of pre-1750s.
Further clarification on the age of the tartan involved radiocarbon testing at the SUERC Radiocarbon Laboratory in East Kilbride.
The process involved washing out all the peat staining which would have otherwise contaminated the carbon content of the textile.
The radiocarbon testing results identified a broad date range between 1500 and 1655, with the period between 1500 and 1600 the most probable.
This makes it the oldest-known piece of true tartan found in Scotland – the Falkirk ‘tartan’, dating from the early third century AD, is a simpler check pattern woven using undyed yarns.
The piece of Glen Affric tartan will be the oldest exhibit among more than 300 objects at the V&A Dundee’s Tartan exhibition.
The exhibition examines tartan’s universal and enduring appeal through iconic and everyday examples of fashion, architecture, graphic and product design, photography, furniture, glass and ceramics, film, performance and art.
Peter MacDonald, head of research and collections at the Scottish Tartans Authority, said the testing process had taken nearly six months but the effort was well worth it and they were thrilled with the results.
"In Scotland, surviving examples of old textiles are rare as the soil is not conducive to their survival," he said.
"As the piece was buried in peat, meaning it had no exposure to air and was therefore preserved.
"The tartan has several colours with multiple stripes of different sizes, and so it corresponds to what people would think of as a true tartan.
"Although we can theorise about the Glen Affric tartan, it’s important that we don’t construct history around it. Although Clan Chisholm controlled that area, we cannot attribute the tartan to them as we don’t know who owned it.
"The potential presence of red, a colour that Gaels considered a status symbol, is interesting because of the more rustic nature of the cloth.
"This piece is not something you would associate with a king or someone of high status; it is more likely to be an outdoor working garment."
John McLeish, chairman of the Scottish Tartans Authority, said: "The Glen Affric tartan is clearly a piece of national and historical significance. It is likely to date to the reign of James V, Mary Queen of Scots, or James VI/I.
"There is no other known surviving piece of tartan from this period of this age. It's a remarkable discovery and deserves national attention and preservation.
"It also deserves to be seen and we’re delighted that it is to be included in the Tartan exhibition at V&A Dundee.”
James Wylie, curator at V&A Dundee, said the musuem had initially approached the Scottish Tartans Authority to ask if it had any examples of "proto-tartans" in its archive of material which could be loaned to the exhibition.
"I'm delighted the exhibition has encouraged further exploration into this plaid portion and very thankful for the Scottish Tartans Authority's backing and support in uncovering such a historic find," he said.
"To be able to exhibit the Glen Affric tartan is immensely important in understanding the textile traditions from which modern tartan derives, and I'm sure visitors will appreciate seeing this on public display for the very first time."
Tartan at V&A Dundee opens on Saturday and runs until January 14 2024.
