Scottish Clans
MacCallum Tartans & Clan
Who Wears MacCallum Tartan? - Associated Names
First of all to explain why there are so many tartans, way over 2000 in fact. There are an awful lot of Scottish clans to start with and on top of this each clan can have many different tartans and names associated with it.
- MacCalum
- McCallum
- McCalum
- McAllum
- Malcolmson
- Malcollm
- Malcom
- Malcomb
- Malcome
- Malcomson
- Malcum
- MacCallam
Maccallum Tartans
4 variationsEach tartan can have multiple variations, the most common of which are Ancient, Modern, Weathered, Hunting and Dress
About tartan variations
- Ancient
- Modern
- Weathered
- Hunting
- Dress
Ancient Tartan
Before 1860 fabrics were coloured using animal and vegetable dyes. This produced the softer colours typical of the Ancient tartans, mossy greens and sky blues, a more orangey red and some would say showing off the pattern to much greater effect as as the contrasts are much brighter than the Modern tartans. The pattern or sett remains the same across all variations of a single tartan, and only the shades or tones vary.
Helpful Advice
Post 1860 chemical dyes replaced the natural animal and vegetable dyes and the Modern Tartans were born with their stronger and bolder colours. The soft greens and blues become bottle green and navy blue, reds are scarlet.
Modern Tartan
Before 1860 fabrics were coloured using animal and vegetable dyes. This produced the softer colours typical of the Ancient tartans. Post 1860 chemical dyes replaced the natural animal and vegetable dyes and the Modern Tartans were born with their stronger and bolder colours. The soft greens and blues become bottle green and navy blue, reds are scarlet.
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The Modern tartans are often the more subtle combinations such as the classic Black Watch Modern
Weathered Tartan
Before 1860 fabrics were coloured using animal and vegetable dyes. This produced the softer, more earthy colours typical of the Weathered tartans, reminiscent of bolder colours subjected to wind, rain and sunshine producing beautiful faded tones, olive greens and browns, and very light blues with reds that are more pink than red.
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Some mills refer to the Weathered tartans as Muted.
Hunting Tartan
The Hunting Tartans are the camouflage tartans and some clans don't have these variations because they are already predominantly green or brown and don't need amendment to blend in with nature's colours. The Black Watch or Gunn tartans are examples of these, whereas a tartan such as the Fraser is predominantly red and would not provide much cover for men out hunting.
Helpful Advice
One thing to remember if you are ordering your tartan to match an existing kilt or accessory is that although the sett and colours are the same, there can be a slight difference in colour from one mill to the next. This is purely down to yarn dying so if you need an exact match we suggest you order a swatch to double check.
Dress Tartan
The Dress Tartans were designed as the name suggests for celebrations and highland dance. The sett or pattern of the tartan remains the same and the main colour is changed to white, or extra white is added to the pattern to give it a brighter, more "fancy" appearance. The Scots do like to bend the rules and occasionally instead of white thread, yellow is used and this is where the rather wild MacLeod Dress Modern and Barclay Dress Modern came from.
Helpful Advice
One thing to remember if you are ordering your tartan to match an existing kilt or accessory is that although the sett and colours are the same, there can be a slight difference in colour from one mill to the next. This is purely down to yarn dying so if you need an exact match we suggest you order a swatch to double check.
Desde el principio
MacCallum Clan Historia y Orígenes
Explorar la historia de Clan MacCallum
Cómo empezó todo
Territories
The principal MacCallum family apparently lived in Cologin about three miles south of the town of Oban.
Que hay en el nombre MacCallum?
MacCallum comes from the Gaelic "MacChaluim" which means "son of Calum".
Duntrune Castle
Duntrune Castle is the historic and current seat of Clan Malcolm. The castle was built in the 13th Century by Clan MacDougall, however it was re-modelled during the 18th and 19th Century, although the Castle was not built for Clan Malcolm it was them who carried out the re-modelling each time. The Castle was originally held by Clan Campbell but it was purchased by Clan Malcolm in 1792. Duntrune Castle is the oldest continuously occupied castle on mainland Scotland.Kilmartin
An old tradition relates that the Chief had 12 strapping sons and staunchly resisted the efforts of a local laird's wife to entice one away. She therefore put an evil spell on them and there were only three left alive. The father, fearing for their safety, ordered each to fill two saddle bags of goods and he would twist ropes of heather together and they would then set out southwards from home, having loaded their belongings on a horse. They were not to stop until the rope binding the bags separated. The rope binding the first son's bags together split at Kilmartin near Lochgilphead so he made his home there and to this day there are McCallum families in this area, most likely descendants of this son.
Clan Motto: In ardua tendit (He has attempted difficult things)
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