The oldest known piece of true tartan, discovered in a Highland peat bog, has been recreated for modern wear following extensive analysis. The Glen Affric tartan, found about 40 years ago in Glen Affric, underwent dye analysis and carbon-14 dating to confirm its 16th-century origins.
The Scottish Tartans Authority verified the fabric dates from 1500 to 1600, making it the oldest surviving true tartan. It was exhibited at the V&A Dundee, where it attracted significant public interest as part of the museum's Tartan exhibition.
House of Edgar, a tartan manufacturer, worked with tartan historian Peter E MacDonald to recreate the cloth using the original colours: green, yellow and red. These dyes came from woad or indigo and other natural sources, as revealed by chemical analysis of the ancient fibres.
Emma Wilkinson, designer at House of Edgar, described the project as a 'once in a lifetime opportunity to recreate a piece of history'. Peter MacDonald, head of research at the Scottish Tartans Authority, said it was a privilege to examine the specimen, which allows us to 'reach back in time and touch history'.
James Wylie, assistant curator at V&A Dundee, noted that the tartan 'took the world by storm' and expressed excitement that its legacy can now continue through the efforts of the Authority and House of Edgar.
