Meaning of Tartan's ?

**Thomas H** · 2nd November 11, 01:35 PM

I have searched and have not found any info on this so I am asking ,
Is there any Meaning or code to a Tartan ie.. The color's mean -what ?
Are there code's to a Family tartan like Blue for Bravery or Purple mean's
Royal etc. Like with Heraldry ?

Mod's : If this has all ready been adressed ,I am sorry ,Please redirect me to the right Thread Thank You

**Jock Scot** · 2nd November 11, 01:42 PM

As far as I am aware red is red, blue is blue, green is green and so on and there is no meaning to the colours whatsoever. No doubt an expert will chip in before long.

**Thomas H** · 2nd November 11, 01:46 PM

OK Thank You I was just wondering ,

**Jock Scot** · 2nd November 11, 01:50 PM

Originally Posted by Thomas H

OK Thank You I was just wondering ,

I could be wrong!

**brewerpaul** · 2nd November 11, 02:46 PM

There is alot of fascinating reading on this subject. What I have seen states that most the tartans started as a variation of the Black Watch. From there threads of colour were added by clans. There was a push at one time to have the clans adopt a tartan for recognition, even though many of them did not have one. For me the tartan and its colours are a personal item. Being German I have no Scottish Clan to look to for a tartan so I have had to improvise. Though I wear some of the generic tartans that are available I have wanted to wear some I can identify with. I had my "tank", made by Bonnie Heather Greene, done in the Marton Mills German Heritage tartan created by Rocky of USA Kilts. It is a gorgeous 16 wool kilt and the tartan is rich in colour, the colours coming from the German flag. As my family settled in Texas in the 1800's I have designed my own tartans, one registered and one not. I take the colors from the German flag and Texas flag to make my family tartan, yes I registered it as a family name tartan. I have made one with an emphasis on the blue and black with the red, white and yellow/gold more subdue that will be the daily or hunting tartan. It is enjoyable to make these and in time see how they will turn out as a kilt. Ill be calling Bonnie Greene again when I have the funds together.

So bottom line for me and likely many clan tartans it is a matter of colours and combinations that mean something. And the reading on kilt and tartan history is quite enjoyable.

**figheadair** · 3rd November 11, 02:25 PM

Originally Posted by davidg

The short answer is no

Agreed

Originally the colours used in a particular tartan would have depended on the vegetable dies available in the area.

We have very little idea and almost no evidence of dyes before about 1700. From then onwards two of the principle tartan dyes: indigo (blue) and cochineal (red) were imported. The latter of course is an insect dye so natural as opposed to vegetable dyes is a more correct term.

Originally Posted by brewerpaul

What I have seen states that most the tartans started as a variation of the Black Watch.

I don't know where you've seen this stated but it's rubbish. The majority of pre-1800 setts that survive have no connection with the Government setting.

**davidg** · 2nd November 11, 01:49 PM

The short answer is no

Originally the colours used in a particular tartan would have depended on the vegetable dies available in the area. More recently, modern tartans are designed with colours representing whatever the designer wishes them to represent. An example of this might be the tartan recently designed by Matt Newsome for the Papal visit to Scotland. He calls it the St Ninian's Tartan and uses colours that represent the dioceses and parishes of Scotland and includes papal colours. The full explanation of how he chose the colours is quite fascinating but there is no standardisation of this. It is all down to the designer's choice, unlike heraldry for which there are rules

**FatherWilliam57** · 2nd November 11, 03:56 PM

Originally Posted by Thomas H

I have searched and have not found any info on this so I am asking ,
Is there any Meaning or code to a Tartan ie.. The color's mean -what ?
Are there code's to a Family tartan like Blue for Bravery or Purple mean's
Royal etc. Like with Heraldry ?

Actually, the answers you have received concerning the colors used in tartans IS like the use of tinctures in heraldry. The tinctures basically mean what any given armiger wishes them to mean. For example: Did I use azure in my arms (see my avatar) to represent water? The sky or heavens? Hope? Dedication to the Virgin Mary? Depression? Loyalty? Or simply because it is my favorite color? So many cultures, so many lists of "what this or that color means," so much change over the centuries. Generally speaking, any given tincture can mean whatever any given armiger wants it to mean.

**piperdbh** · 2nd November 11, 04:09 PM

Here's a thread from awhile back addressing this very topic.

**Bugbear** · 2nd November 11, 05:24 PM

Originally Posted by piperdbh

Here's a thread from awhile back addressing this very topic.

I had to check to see if I said anything stupid in that thread... I think I'm ok.

I've started probing just a little into some of the kilt and tartan mythologies believed in the past. So far, I haven't found anything about people believing specific colors originally had specific meanings in the development of tartan: only that the patterns had meaning. I'm going to guess that this is more of a contemporary idea that the colors originally had meanings.

I can point to at least one source that shows that colors have been considered to have meaning, though not set in stone, over time in heraldry.

That's all I know.