Scotland's Oldest Tartan identified.

[Tobus]

I really like the soft muted colours of the fragment as it now appears. But what if House of Edgar or somebody "re-imagines" the tartan, using their ordinary yarns, turning it into just another modern tartan? I suppose I'd have to see what they came up with.

Well, first I would like to see a mockup of a best guess on what the original colours would have looked like. I'm not overly interested in new tartans that are made to look like they've been buried in a peat bog, like the "reproduction" and "weathered" schemes. Been there, done that, got a bit bored with it. I've come full circle to where I appreciate historic tartans looking like they would have when they were made and used. Especially if they use colours that mimic what the original dyes would have looked like (and not some fanciful interpretation of them, like the "ancient" colour schemes). For instance, some of the modern recreations of old Wilson's colours.

But beyond the colours used, I'd be interested to see what the tartan pattern would have looked like. Honestly, I can't tell much from the photos of this piece. Was it a busy pattern with a lot of colour changes in the sett? I mean, each person can probably look at the photo and guess what it may have looked like, but I'd be very interested to see what the actual historians who have studied it would come up with (*cough* figheadair)...

[figheadair]

Well, first I would like to see a mockup of a best guess on what the original colours would have looked like. I'm not overly interested in new tartans that are made to look like they've been buried in a peat bog, like the "reproduction" and "weathered" schemes. Been there, done that, got a bit bored with it. I've come full circle to where I appreciate historic tartans looking like they would have when they were made and used. Especially if they use colours that mimic what the original dyes would have looked like (and not some fanciful interpretation of them, like the "ancient" colour schemes). For instance, some of the modern recreations of old Wilson's colours.

But beyond the colours used, I'd be interested to see what the tartan pattern would have looked like. Honestly, I can't tell much from the photos of this piece. Was it a busy pattern with a lot of colour changes in the sett? I mean, each person can probably look at the photo and guess what it may have looked like, but I'd be very interested to see what the actual historians who have studied it would come up with (*cough* figheadair)...

Tobus,

I am fortunate to have been able to examine the piece and take a series of descent photographs. I have made a reconstruction of the sett but cannot share it yet as I am working on a paper for submission to a journal and don't want to undermine that. All in due course.