We're all familiar with the cheques and stripes of tartan.

But how much do you know about the colourful history of this textile

famously worn by Scottish clans? Well, according to the historian and tartan expert Peter

MacDonald, some of our favourite facts surrounding the checking material might not be as accurate

as we think. Speaking to Emily Briffitt and answering listener questions, Peter charts Tartan's long story,

from its early origins to its growing status as a national symbol and a commercial icon.

Hi, Peter, thank you so much for joining us on the History Extra podcast.

Good morning. It's a pleasure.

Now, I think if we're talking about the

history of tartan, there are definitely some perhaps preconceptions or misconceptions surrounding its

history. I wonder, could you perhaps touch on a couple of these? So possibly the greatest one is

that there is a tartan for every name in Scotland. So there are well over 10,000 names in Scotland.

And although I have a database with about that same number of tartans on there So there are well over 10,000 names in Scotland. And although I have a database

with about that same number of tartans on there, there are more than one associated with

several of the larger clans. But there are an awful lot of modern tartans that are associated

with organisations, you know, the FBI, Encyclopedia Britannica, etc. So there are more

tartans than there are names that have tartans.

And historically, Tartan was principally a Highland commodity element, if you like. And so the

majority of Scots didn't use Tartan, didn't wear Tartan, certainly didn't wear kills. So that's

perhaps the biggest of those mysteries or misconceptions.

I think we're going to be very much coming back to talk about this,

particularly when we're going to talk about Scottish clans,

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