colors & symbolism: any connection?

[piperdbh]

Do the colors in a tartan have any symbolism? For example, does white stand for purity, blue for fidelity, red for courage, etc.? I heard from someone (I can't remember whom) that green represents the heather, blue stands for Highland waters, white represents snow, and some other things I can't remember.
Is there any truth to this, or is it a back-invention to romanticize (and thereby sell more) woolen fabric?

[macwilkin]

Do the colors in a tartan have any symbolism? For example, does white stand for purity, blue for fidelity, red for courage, etc.? I heard from someone (I can't remember whom) that green represents the heather, blue stands for Highland waters, white represents snow, and some other things I can't remember.
Is there any truth to this, or is it a back-invention to romanticize (and thereby sell more) woolen fabric?

You'll find colour symbolism in a number of the more recently designed tartans, say for a US state, Canadian province, etc., but there really isn't a historical prescedent for it per se.

T.

[Scotus]

Do the colors in a tartan have any symbolism? For example, does white stand for purity, blue for fidelity, red for courage, etc.?

The simple answer to your question is, "No." The colors of tartan do not symbolize anything. The tartan itself is the symbol, not the colors. The tartan is the symbol of a clan, district, etc.

That being said, in a lot of modern tartan designs you will find those who design them coming up with the reason (symbols) for why they chose the colors they did. They'll say, "The green symbolize this, the yellow that..." I think this is a bad idea; that is, insisting the colors symboliz something.

[JSFMACLJR]

Is there any truth to this, or is it a back-invention to romanticize (and thereby sell more) woolen fabric?

I'm sure it is!

[Bugbear]

Ya, what those guys said. Please don't assume a color has a universal meaning like white means peace.

* The rest isn't important, so I removed it, sorry. *

[piperdbh]

i suppose it's just a marketing scheme disguised as a quaint notion.
I'm looking at a swatch of Carolina and count 6 colors: red, green, yellow, black, white, and light blue. Those colors could symbolize NC State, the Green Bay Packers, McDonald's "Golden Arches", death, hope, and the UNC-CH (go Heels!) They could also represent fire, spring, cowardice, a Korean wedding, Easter, and the Tarheels.
This is probably why no symbolism was/is attached to the colors in the not-recently-designed tartans; who would decide on the meaning of a color, and what if a color had different and possibly contradictory meanings.
I'm designing a tartan for my college, using the school colors (red and black) and white for balance. Once/if it ever gets done, the tartan will symbolize the college, while no one remembers what the red and black originally meant.
Thanks for the replies. You've confirmed what I thought.

[Bugbear]

Good luck with the tartan design, hope it comes out well. You explained it better than I did on the meaning of colors.

[Jock Scot]

The individual colours of a Scots tartan have no symbolism whatsoever. I should imagine that would hold true for tartans the world over.

[EagleJCS]

I think some of the newer 'commissioned' (state, corporate, school, etc.) tartans have some meaning ascribed to the colors. (Probably to answer the question: "Why did you choose THAT color for our tartan?") This would help if there needs to be an official OK to have a mill produce some. I know there's meaning ascribed to the colors in the Kentucky tartan.

As far as the Scottish clans go, so far as I know, and as Jock said, there's no meaning whatsoever (unless, as you suggested, it's a back-invention for the romantic interest). From what I've read (here & elsewhere), before the Georgian/Victorian revival of tartan in the 1800's, most tartans were fairly simple, made from the dyes the weavers had avaiable.

[Monkey@Arms]

Looks like everyone's in agreement on this one. If you're interested in a more thorough (and authoritative) look at that question you might want to read this essay by Matt: http://albanach.org/tartan_symbolism.htm

Best regards,

Jake