Native Scots vs the scottish diaspora

[Dram]

From todays Telegraph:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...-Scotland.html

#45 "Many of Scotland’s most famous inventions – kilts, tartans and bagpipes - were actually developed elsewhere. Kilts originated in Ireland, tartans have been found in Bronze Age central Europe and bagpipes are thought to have come from ancient central Asia."

Albeit this may be a biased newspaper, there is in fact plenty of evidence that the bagpipes did not originate in Scotland.

The bagpipes are a pastoral instrument that were probably independently "invented" and used by many European cultures (and I'm sure elsewhere). In the north of England for example, piping was/is very prevalent. Not sure where or when the bagpipes arrived in Scotland (some suggest they were in fact from Ireland), it is very possible the Scots independently developed them like so many other cultures. A painting from the 1600's shows the modern form of the Scottish Great Highland Bagpipe...so we know at least that far back.



The bagpipes really are a world heritage instrument.