|
THE SECRET OF A SCOTSMAN'S SPORRAN
An
essential piece of Highland dress to accompany a Scotsman’s kilt is
the ornately decorated pouch that hangs down the front, commonly
referred to as the sporran. But were did the sporran originate and
what was its purpose?
 As
early as the twelfth century Highland warriors were described as
being "bare-legged, with shaggy cloaks and a scrip [small bag] …”
Such dress was, at that time, confined to the Highlands, as Scottish
Lowlanders considered such apparel as barbarous, referring with
contempt to their Highland kinsmen as “redshanks”!
Kilts of that time were very basic garments that required no
tailoring and comprised a single piece of
tartan cloth some
two yards in width by four or six yards in length. This was commonly
referred to as the Breacan, the Feileadh Bhreacain and
the Feileadh Mor – or as the English called it The Big
Kilt. It fell down to the knees and was
secured over the left shoulder with a broach or pin and a tight belt
gathered it all around the waist.
Such dress was ideally suited to the
climate and terrain
of the Highlands. It allowed freedom of movement, the tightly woven
woollen cloth was warm and waterproof, unwrapped it could provide a
voluminous cloak against the weather or a comfortable overnight
blanket, it dried out quickly and with much less discomfort than
trousers. But unlike trousers, the kilt could not provide pockets
and so the sporran was born out of necessity.
A survival of the medieval purse, the sporran was the Highlander's
pocket they didn’t have.
Early sporrans were made from leather or skin, both deerskin and
calfskin proved particularly popular. They were simple in design and
usually gathered at the top by basic drawstrings or by thongs with
small tassels. The Highlanders of the Western Isles often wore cloth
pouches known as trews.
Original sporrans dating from the fourteenth century and onwards can
be viewed at many Scottish museums. The history and evolution of the
sporran can also be traced through early British military paintings
and portraits of Highland soldiers; these later sporrans start to
show more elaborate decoration.
From the late seventeenth century and early eighteenth century
sporrans were generally fitted with metal clasps, usually made from
brass, or for clan chiefs, occasionally silver. The elaborate metal
workings of some of these clasps are indeed miniature works of art.
The goat-haired, sporran molach
or hairy sporran was introduced by the military in the eighteenth
century. These sporrans often had flap-tops and large tassels and
featured a variety of furs and hair such as fox and horse, or
occasionally sealskin, all set off with a badger’s head.
But
what is it that a Scotsman actually keeps in his sporran? Well, one
sporran on display at the National Museum in Edinburgh features a
clasp of brass and steel with four concealed pistols inside, the
contraption being designed to be discharged should anybody attempt
to open the locked purse, thus either killing or maiming the thief.
The modern sporran,
or
sporan
-
Gaelic, has evolved a long way from the doeskin bag containing
ammunition or daily rations and many now feature stainless steel and
even plastics! Despite modern enhancements however, sporrans retain
their basic design principles and carry everything from the car keys
to mobile phones.
©
HUK
|