Glen Affric Scarf

A Unique Survivor—Preserved in Peat. 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.