A question to stump the tartan experts.

[Ialtog]

I gotta say, you post some of the most intriguing questions on XMarks. This is really great - its given me something fun to turn around in my mind today (rather than doing actual work).

I have one tartan I would like to throw out there while I'm thinking of others. Sometime ago I came across a post on XMarks about a very unusual tartan that was created by one of the Scottish mills to help raise money for bird conservation. The tartan is named after a bird - the Capercaillie. I think it is the only tartan ever named for a bird.

The reason I suggest it is that the Capercaillie usued to have a very extensive range throughout northern Europe, down into the mountainous country of central and eastern Europe. It is a far-ranging bird, found in some of the more remote country utilized by Gypsies (as far as my limited knowledge of these people are concerned). It is a "natural" tartan, like the Granite Isle, that celebrates (in my mind) wildness and nature rather than a clan or people. It sort of struck me as maybe an appropriate choice.

[bubba]

Dread, perhaps get together with these folks and design a Rom tartan Splitting the cost a bunch of ways should make it affordable and you'd end up with a specific tartan just for that bloodline.

[davedove]

The reason I suggest it is that the Capercaillie usued to have a very extensive range throughout northern Europe, down into the mountainous country of central and eastern Europe. It is a far-ranging bird, found in some of the more remote country utilized by Gypsies (as far as my limited knowledge of these people are concerned). It is a "natural" tartan, like the Granite Isle, that celebrates (in my mind) wildness and nature rather than a clan or people. It sort of struck me as maybe an appropriate choice.

That does seem appropriate. It is highly unlikely that gypsies would have an officially recorded tartan, considering they are not known for their adherence to local authority. In fact, officially recording one just doesn't seem right for a gypsy tartan.