An eyewitness account of the Battle of Killecrankie in 1689 describes "McDonells men in their triple stripe” but probably the first visual proof of the existence of what we now call ‘Tartan’, was in a German woodcut of about 1631 which is thought to show Highland soldiers - no doubt mercenaries - in the army of Gustavus Adolphus and wearing a clearly identified tartan philamhor - the great kilt. The next important Milestone in the history of tartan was the 1745 rebellion, ending with the Battle of Culloden, fought on Drummossie
Muir on 16th April 1746, together with the ensuing genocide perpetrated throughout the highlands.
German Woodcut of members of MacKay’s Regiment in Stettin around 1631.
Detail from “The Battle of Culloden" by David Morier