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Tartan is a plaid that represents something. This concept is uniquely Scottish,
but has been adopted by other nations.
A tartan originally represented a clan. Today, tartans
exist that represent families, countries, cities,
areas, states, provinces and even companies.
Clan tartans came about as the result of a scam
perpetrated by two brothers. Almost two hundred years
later, they are now a tradition.
In the case of clan tartans, only the clan Chief may
decide what constitutes a clan tartan!
There are only four authorized Clan Campbell tartans,
which may be viewed to the right.
All members of Clan Campbell may wear the blue, green
and black Campbell tartan.
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The first
example above is the Campbell tartan, often sold
as "Ancient Campbell" by vendors. It is the same
sett, although in a lighter shade, as Black
Watch, a regiment raised by the Duke of Argyll
in 1739. All Campbells and septs may wear this
sett.
Look carefully, and note that it is a double
sett. This means that it takes twice the
distance to repeat the pattern as a single sett,
or a basic square pattern. Look at the double
tramlines, pairs of narrow black lines like
railroad tracks. Moving across the tartan left
to right, there is one double tramline in an
area of blue, an area of green with a single
line, an area of blue with two double tramlines,
followed by an area of green with a single line.
This completes the pattern, which is the same up
and down as it is across.
Hues may vary according to preference, as
long as the colors are blue, black and green.
Color schemes sold by the mills are usually
called "ancient" and "modern." These indicate a
lighter shade for "ancient" tartans, purported
to represent the lighter coloring of the older,
traditional, methods of dying the wool. The
"modern" tartans are darker, with blues
appearing to be verging on purple. So, if one
chose to wear a lighter shade of Campbell
tartan, one would order a kilt made of Ancient
Campbell tartan in the "ancient" color scheme.
This tartan is worn by Campbells originating
in Argyll, as well as any other member of Clan
Campbell. This is the main tartan of the clan,
and may be worn by all Campbells and those with
Clan Campbell sept names.

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