Scotland's Oldest Tartan Rose

Tartan historian Peter MacDonald, head of research and collections at the Scottish Tartans Authority, a nonprofit dedicated to the promotion and preservation of tartans, had an inkling that this fabric piece was special. "The Glen Affric tartan is clearly a piece of national and historical significance," John McLeish, chair of STA, said in a statement. While many questions about the Glen Affric tartan remain, its approximate age is no longer a mystery. "I'm still going with the Falkirk," says Jim Akins, director of the Scottish Tartans Museum and Heritage Center in North Carolina, the only tartan museum outside of Scotland. Regardless of which Scottish tartan you endorse, there's no denying the iconic pattern's tumultuous past. The Glen Affric tartan is on display at V&A Dundee until January 2024, among more than 300 other tartan-related items, in an exhibit that explores the iconic pattern's enduring legacy in Scotland and beyond. MacDonald hopes the Glen Affric tartan will go on display permanently.