Dyes in History and Archaeology 19

At what point does romantic invention become tradition, legend blend into historical fact? Surely the tartan of Bonnie Prince Charlie, that epitome of folklore, was dyed in the colours of mists and heathers with local Scottish dyestuffs? The truth is more prosaic, but no less interesting: archival research and analysis of dyestuffs used in 18th- and 19th-century tartans suggests that, while some local plant dyes may have been used, Scottish dyers were importing a range of widely available bri…