Originally the Scots were Irish invaders of the land from Irish Dalriada and their rule was derived from the Irish High King. The Norse invasions around 800 AD separated these Scots from the Irish and created the new country, Scottish Dalriada. With the conquest of the Picts, Scottish Dalriada became Alba and later still the country we now call Scotland. But the style of dress remained the same in both Ireland and Scotland until the middle of this millenium.

This clothing consisted of mainly two parts. The first part is a leine or shirt of linen. This shirt was frequently embroidered and cut to the knees of men. While the women wore them in the longer length that fell to the ankle. Over this, both sexes wore a Brat or cloak pinned at the shoulder with a brooch. This brat was of varying lengths, the higher a persons rank in society the longer the brat. The brat was also distinguished by its pattern of weave and colors, which today is called Plaid.

While the meaning of the word plaid is well known in modern English, the meaning in Gaelic is completely different. In Gaelic, Plaide means blanket and the Brat was used for this purpose besides that of the cloak. The word tartan also has a more archaic meaning. In French 'tiretaine' means a type of cloth, particularly light wool. Through these means we have discovered that the plaid was already is use around the 5th century AD.

After even further investigation we discover the account of Diodorus Siculus (c. 90-21 BC), Greek historian, born in Agyrium, Sicily in describing the Celts:

Their aspect is terrifying...They are very tall in stature, with rippling muscles under clear white skin. Their hair is blond, but not naturally so: they bleach it, to this day, artificially, washing it in lime and combing it back from their foreheads. They look like wood-demons, their hair thick and shaggy like a horse's mane. Some of them are clean-shaven, but others - especially those of high rank, shave their cheeks but leave a moustache that covers the whole mouth and, when they eat and drink, acts like a sieve, trapping particles of food...The way they dress is astonishing: they wear brightly coloured and embroidered shirts, with trousers called bracae and cloaks fastened at the shoulder with a brooch, heavy in winter, light in summer. These cloaks are striped or checkered in design, with the separate checks close together and in various colours.

[The Celts] wear bronze helmets with figures picked out on them, even horns, which made them look even taller than they already are...while others cover themselves with breast-armour made out of chains. But most content themselves with the weapons nature gave them: they go naked into battle...Weird, discordant horns were sounded, [they shouted in chorus with their] deep and harsh voices, they beat their swords rythmically against their shields.

Siculus' observations were written about 50 BC and were based on descriptions of the Roman invasion of Gaul. Clearly in the story one can pick out a description of the plaid cloaks worn by the Celts.

With further research one finds the color system of rank put in place by either Tighernmas or Eochaid, the seventh and eighth of the Milesian line of Kings in Ireland. They lived about 800 BC and incorporated the system of distinguishing the various classes and professions by the colors in their dress. A King or Queen could wear seven colors; a poet or Ollam six; a chieftain five; an army leader four; a landowner three; a rent payer two; and a serf one color only.

Thus it seems that the modern plaid has it's roots from a time almost three millennia ago. An apparent later development of the color system was the Brat. The Brat whether in use as a cloak or as a Plaide allowed the identification of an individual day or night. While its Tartan material was extremely versatile considering the changing weather conditions of the climate.

While the original color system of distinguishing classes is no longer in use, the plaid has evolved from an individual identifier to one of an entire Clan. The Tartan and its particular pattern of weaves and color now identify the family. By passing the right of wear of the five-color plaid from the chieftain to all relations we now have the modern tartan which is in use today.

by BW, December, 1999

Suggested Reading:

The Story of the Irish Race by Seumas MacManus, The Devin-Adair Company, 1974

Old Irish and Highland Dress by H.F. McClintock

Links:

The Origins of the Kilt on Gathering of the Clans

The Origins of the Tartan on Gathering of the Clans

The Tartan on Gathering of the Clans

Garb Glossary

The Landings of Caesar in Britain, 55 and 54 BC: Athena Review

Restructuring History

Celtic Dress in the 16th Century

A Brief History of the Celts

Who were the Celts?