The great kilt and the sporran

The kilt is a traditional piece of clothing worn by the Scottish. The great kilt, or the feilidh-mòr in Gaelic, is a wide piece of fabric used as a wrap-around garment, which covers the thighs and partly the torso. It was worn especially by the rural Highlanders, from the 16th century onwards. (Newsome, 2000) It is quite different from the small kilt which is more familiar to the modern people of today.

a modern great kilt






















The large piece of fabric, from 4 to 6 yards in width, was wrapped around the waist with a belt so that the lower part reached the middle of the knee joint. The overlapping part was then fastened to either shoulder, and could then be used for warmth, protection, or a bag for carrying. (Newsome, 2000)

The sporran, a small pouch still used with the kilt, was also used to carry ones belongings. It was usually made from an animal’s, like the badger or seal’s, head and skin. (MacCorkill, 1991-1992) Objects, like a knife, could also be hung onto the belt used to hold the kilt in place.

a man wearing the small kilt and a badger sporran, 1920-1930




















Considering the great gap between the poor and the rich, as well as the urban and the rural in Scotland in the 16th and the 17th century, (Lynch, 1992) the poorer Highlanders must have moved about mostly in hunting and collecting purposes, also to meet members of other clans. Therefore I would guess the main objects a Highlander might have had with them would be a knife or another tool for hunting and handling natural materials like wood, and possibly some rope and food. Whether an individual might have needed money, which depends on the customs of their community and the distance from more urban areas, there might have been the need to carry some currency along as well.



Bibliography

a man wearing the small kilt and a badger sporran, 1920-1930 [Online image]. Available from: < http://www.lolc.co.uk/indexplus/result.html?_IXFIRST_=4&_IXSS_=_IXFIRST_%3d1%26_IXINITSR_%3dy%26%2524%253dtheskeys%3d%26_IXACTION_%3dquery%26_IXACTION_%252ey%3d0%26%2524%253dkv1%3dkilt%26_IXMAXHITS_%3d100%26%252asform%3d%252fweb%252fsearch_forms%252flolc%26_IXSESSION_%3dmHcG0gPEnXd%26%2524%253dkf1%3dkeywords%26%2524%253dft1%3d1%26_IXFPFX_%3dtemplates%252ft%26%2524%253dsi%3dtext%26_IXACTION_%252ex%3d0%26%2524%253ddelflag%3dy&_IXACTION_=query&_IXMAXHITS_=1&_IXSR_=FtvMFIZ8NQQ&_IXSPFX_=templates%2ft&_IXFPFX_=templates%2ft > [Accessed 5 March 2012].
a modern great kilt [Online image]. Available from: < http://www.lindaclifford.com/GreatKilt.html> [Accessed 5 March 2012].
Lynch, M. (1992) Scotland a New History. Kent, Pimlico.
MacCorkill, N. (n.d.) The Authentic History of the Kilt [Internet], Scotweb. Available from: < http://www.scottish-history.com/kilt.shtml > [Accessed 25 February 2012].
Newsome, M. (2000) The Early History of the Kilt [Internet], Available from: < http://www.albanach.org/kilt.html > [Accessed 25 February 2012].