Scotland’s oldest tartan, found in a peat bog, has been recreated and is now available to buy.
Measures: 1 yard x 54″ – Multiple yards are cut in one continuous piece.
Glen Affric – Discovered in the peaty soil of Glen Affric during forestry work in the 1980s, this pattern harkens back to a time before clan tartans.

The Scottish Tartans Authority (STA) commissioned scientific dye analysis and carbon dating of the historic specimen prior to its first public display at Tartan by V & A Dundee in April 2023.

The results confirm a 16th century provenance, placing the tartan in the reign of James V, Mary Queen of Scots or James VI. The reconstruction of the peat-stained cloth by the STA is based on the red, yellow, green and brown shades identified as part of the testing process.