When you think of Scottish Symbols, perhaps the Thistle or Tartan Kilts come to mind.... but do you know the stories and legends behind them? Would you be surprised to know that there are more than a dozen different types of symbols that are an important part of Scottish history and culture?
Scotland is a country that's literally overflowing with symbolism, and is incredibly rich in history and traditions.
Many of the most well-known symbols of Scotland date back centuries, and are surrounded by legends, superstitions, folklore and pageantry. They've often been immortalized in poetry, songs and music, and are tightly woven into the colorful history of this small country.
Scottish symbols are about as wide and varied as you can imagine. They include plants, Ancient Celtic designs, mythical creatures, famous Scots and more. Here are some of the most well-known, and easily recognizable, national symbols of Scotland.
The Saltire
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| http://fdefever.free.fr/images/scot.jpg |
Scotland actually has two flags, but only one of them is recognized as Scotlands' offical national flag - and that's the Saltire. The other 'unofficial' Scottish flag (the 'Lion Rampant') is quite different, but it may be the one that came to mind first.
The actual word 'Saltire' means 'a cross with diagonal bars of equal length' and the national flag of Scotland is made up of a white saltire (aka St. Andrews' Cross) on a blue background. First hoisted in 1512, it's believed to be one of the oldest flags in the world still in use today.
If the flag being almost 500 years old seems pretty impressive, you're about to be even more impressed because the use of the white saltire cross as scottish icon/emblem dates back to the 13th and 14th Century. It was approved as the flag/badge of the Scottish people in a statute made in 1388.
The first historical reference to the white saltire being used on the Scottish flag (albeit with a red background at that point), occurs in 1503. Behind most Scottish symbols, there's a rich and colorful history, and why this particular design was picked to appear on the flag of Scotland is no exception....
It's believed that around 60 AD St. Andrew, who became the Patron Saint of Scotland, (and who was one of Jesus' Apostles - the younger brother of Simon Peter) was crucified.
Legend says that he felt himself unworthy of being crucified on a cross that resembled the one Jesus died on, and so he hung on a saltire, or diagonal cross.
There's also a second theory about this detail, as some historians believe that St. Andrew was crucified by the Romans in Greece, where this diagonal cross was more commonly used.
The next part of the legend behind the flag of Scotland takes place over 700 years later, in 832 AD.
It's said that the night before the Pictish King Angus II, led his forces into battle against the English King Aethelstans' army of Angles and Saxons, King Angus had a vision or dream. In this vision, he saw St. Andrew and was promised triumph in battle.
Early the next morning Angus' troops were awestruck by the sight of a huge white Saltire cross shining against the background of a bright blue sky. This 'omen' led the Scottish troops to victory and the Saltire found it's place in Scottish history.
The first illustration of the Saltire flag in it's full blue and white glory appeared around the middle of the 16th Century, and between that time and the year 2003 the blue of the flag has seen some changes.
Originally thought to be sky-blue, this color became darker during the 17th century, at times appearing dark 'navy' blue. Manufacturers of the flag didn't necessarily select the same shade of blue and this was often a subject of spirited debate!
This situation came to an end in 2003 when a Scottish Parliamentary committe officially recommended that the shade of blue on the Scottish Saltire Flag become standardized, the shade chosen being Pantone 300.
The Saltire forms part of the 'Union Jack', the national flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, but in that instance the blue is slightly darker than the new shade agreed upon in 2003.
This National Flag of Scotland is the officially recognized flag that is flown on public buildings and carried by Scottish teams in international competitions.
If you visit the Saltire Memorial at Athelstaneford in East Lothian, Scotland, you'll see the Saltire flying every single day.
The Lion Rampant (The 'Royal Flag' Of Scotland)
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| http://www.scottish-at-heart.com/lion-rampant.html |
The 'lion flag' is often considered the unofficial national flag and referred to as the 'Royal Flag of Scotland'. The 'Royal' term applies because this flag historically, and legally, belongs to the monarchy (or royalty) - more specifically to a King or Queen of Scotland.
As there hasn't been a Scottish King or Queen since the 17th Century, it now belongs to Queen Elizabeth II. It's a more colorful and dramatic flag than the Saltire, and may be a little more memorable because of that.
The term 'lion rampant' actually refers to the positioning or attitude of the lion. A rampant lion is shown as a profile of a lion standing upright (on one or both hind legs) and the forelegs are raised, claws unsheathed, as if to strike.
It seems that the rampant lion design was first used as a symbol of the Scottish kingdom by King Alexander II (1214 - 1249 AD). It appeared as a coat of arms on one of his seals in 1222, and also later, on a seal of Alexander III. It was referred to as the 'Arms of the Kingdom (or Dominion) of Scotland'
But historians believe that the lion rampant may have appeared even earlier than this, being adopted by King William I (aka 'William the Lion') 1143 - 1214 AD, as part of the design of his heraldic banners/flags used in battle. At this time it may have been called 'The Lion of Bravery'.
The same symbol was also used by King Richard I of England (aka 'Richard the Lion Heart') later in the 12th Centruy.
I was interested to find out that before the lion appeared as a Scottish heraldic symbol, there's a record of a royal standard featuring an even more exotic, mythical, animal... the dragon! A dragon symbol was used on a royal standard, by King David I during battle as early as 1138.
Officially (and historically) the 'Lion' Flag is only allowed to be flown by a monarch, and today it is traditionally flown at royal residences when the Queen is NOT in residence. There are also other officials, such as the Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, Lord Lyon King of Arms and the Royal Regiment of Scotland, who are allowed to fly this flag.
According to an Act of Parliament, passed in 1672, it is an offense for any private citizen or corporate body to fly or wave this flag, so they're not a part of the every-day Scottish scenery.
Unofficially though, it's often thought of as the 'Second National Flag of Scotland' and you will generally see hordes of them in the hands of sports fans at national (and international) football and rugby games.
Although this is technically illegal, there doesn't seem to be any official objections to these displays of patriotism because King George V gave permission Lion Rampant flags to be waved by the public during his Silver Jubilee celebrations in 1935.
Scotland The Brave
The lyrics for this song were written in 1951 by the multi-talented Cliff Hanley (he was a journalist, author, songwriter, public speaker and more).
Cliff was a Glaswegian (born in Glasgow) and 'Scotland The Brave' was originally only intended to be sung at a musical performance at Glasgows' Empire Theater.
But it immediately touched the hearts and souls of the Scottish people and became hugely popular. If you were a football (soccer) fan, this is the song that you'd be singing in the stands!
It did have a rival for the affection of the people though - another piece of traditional Scottish music, 'The Flower of Scotland' which was traditionally sung at rugby matches and at other celebrations such as Burns' Night and St. Andrews' Night.
As there was no official Scottish National Anthem, in 2006 an online voting system was set up through the website of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra that allowed the Scottish people to vote for one of four popular Scottish songs... the winner would become the national anthem.
The songs in question were Scotland The Brave, The Flower of Scotland, Highland Cathedral and Scots Wha Hae. The Flower of Scotland was the clear winner with 41% of the votes, and Scotland The Brave came in second with 29% but is so well-loved that it is still thought of as the 'unofficial' national anthem of Scotland.
The Scottish Thistle
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| http://www.visitscotland.com/about/arts-culture/uniquely-scottish/thistle |
The Scottish Thistle is probably one of the most well-known, and easily recognized, Scottish emblems.
The Thistle has been recognized as a Scottish symbol for centuries, and the most popular and well-known legend surrounding this choice dates back around 800 years.
This particular legend describes how, in the 13th Century, Norse invaders (under orders from King Haakon IV of Norway) attempted to spring a 'surprise night-raid' on a portion of King Alexander III's army in Northern Scotland. So that they wouldn't wake the sleeping Scots, the Vikings crept stealthily (and barefoot) across the Scottish landscape. Unfortunately for them, they weren't aware that this area was home to an abundant growth of Scottish Thistles, and when an unlucky Norseman happened to step on the vicious thorns of this native plant - well, his cries definitely gave away the raiding partys' whereabouts. The Scottish army sprang into action, and were victorious in battle. Naturally superstitious and big on symbolism, the Scots declared the Thistle to have been their savior, and this humble plant became a celebrity.
Whether or not this is the actual origin of the Thistle being seen as an Scottish emblem no-one can say for sure. But, there is evidence showing that the Scottish Thistle was a recognizable symbol of Scotland as early as the 15th century.
It appears on silver coins that were issued in 1470 during the reign of King James III (1466 - 1488), and early in the 16th century it became an integral part of Scotlands' Coat of Arms.
In 1503, the marriage of King James IV of Scotland to Princess Margaret Tudor of England, seems to have been the inspiration behind the poem entitled 'The Thrissil and The Rois' ('The Thistle and The Rose') penned by the Scottish poet William Dunbar. As King James was presumably the 'Thrissil', it shows how representative of Scotland this plant was considered to be.
It's thought that toward the middle of the same century, Scotlands' highest chivalric order was founded by King James V (son of King James IV), it's name was 'The Order of The Thistle'. It may be that this order had much older roots, as some historians believe that James V was reviving a much more ancient order, one that perhaps dated back as far as the early 9th century. The official motto of the Order of The Thistle is 'Nemo me impune lacessit', this Latin translates into 'No one provokes me with impunity', which, given the original legend and the physical features of this plant, is almost eerily appropriate!
Today the Thistle is seen on everything from sporrans and jewelry to soap and tea-towels, and it's a Scottish symbol recognized all over the world.
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| A tiled mosaic on the floor of the entrance hall to Alloway Kirk |
The Unicorn of Scotland
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| http://www.scottish-at-heart.com/unicorn-of-scotland.html |
The stories and legends surrounding the Unicorn go about as far back in history as the human race.
It's not just the Unicorn of Scotland that is seen as a powerful symbol, Unicorns were worshiped by the ancient Babylonians, and written descriptions of them appear throughout ancient history, and in many different countries.
Although often thought of as imaginary, or purely mythical animals, perhaps these beautiful creatures really did exist. The ancient Persians, the Romans, the Greek philosophers, even ancient Jewish scholars, all describe a horse-like creature who's single, beautiful horn had magical properties that could heal any disease or illness. They were considered very rare and precious, and seem to have existed in many different countries including Greece, Persia (now Iran), Egypt, India and Africa.
In the 5th Century AD, interpretation of a passage in the Hebrew Old Testament described an animal that scholars believed was a Unicorn.
This may be the beginning of this mythical creatures' association with Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary, the basis for the legends that claimed only a Virgin could tame the Unicorn, and its' popularity in Christian Art, particularly during the Middle Ages.
Although the Unicorn of Scotland is a popular Scottish heraldic symbol, Unicorns have been associated with Royalty and heraldry since at least the time of the Romans.
In Celtic Mythology the Unicorn of Scotland symbolized innocence and purity, healing powers, joy and even life itself. It was also seen as a symbol of masculinity and power. Two sides of the same coin as it were, a blend of male virility and female nurturing.
It was thought of as a wild, freedom-loving creature. Fierce, bold, proud and intelligent. Impossible to capture alive, except if lured into an ambush by a virgin - another reference perhaps to the Virgin Mary connection.
Scottish Heather
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| http://www.world-tour-orion7.com/images/Inverness2.jpg |
Scottish Heather grows freely and abundantly, and carpets the Scottish moors, glens and highlands with glorious purple hues. There are around 5 million acres of heather spread across Scotland, and perhaps the fact that it was (and still is) so readily available is behind the many, many uses that the Scots have found for one of their national flowers.
The color of wild Scottish Heather usually ranges from lilac to purple, white Heather also grows wild but is much less common - perhaps one of the reasons that it is considered to be a symbol of good luck.
Heather usually blooms twice a year in Scotland, in early summer and then during the late summer and early fall (Autumn). Although it varies from year to year due to fluctuations in weather, the best time to see the full beauty of Heather in Scotland is often between late July and early September.
Heather has grown in Scotland as far back as it is history goes, and its abundance and versatility made it a very useful household commodity in times gone past.
Thousands of years BC, dried Scottish Heather was used as a sort of fragrant and 'bouncy' mattress, and the strong, tough stems were used to make ropes. Evidence of both of these have been found in a 4000 year old village on the island of Skara Brae in Orkney.
On many of the northern Scottish Islands, such as the Hebrides and the Shetland Isles, Heather played a major role in construction of houses, being fashioned into walls, thatched roofs, ropes, pegs and more.
On the mainland, particularly in the Scottish Highlands, the Heather of Scotland was also often used to thatch houses. The strong, stems could be made into brooms, and in some areas they were integrated into farm and garden implements such as hoes/rakes.
Heather was used to dye cloth and wool, producing muted yellow, gold, bronze and grey, green or purple colors.
Traditional 'Heather Beds' were considered to be just as comfortable as 'feather beds', the dried heather wasn't just light and soft, it was also fragrant and the heads of the dried flowers were usually placed toward the top of the bed, perhaps providing some sort of ancient aromatherapy.
Heather also seemed to have some amazing medicinal properties, and was used by ancient Scots to treat all sorts of conditions and ailments, including nervousness and anxiety, coughs, consumption (TB), poisoning of all sorts, digestive issues, blindness, arthritis, rheumatism and more.
It was made into a variety of drinks, potions, ointments and salves and even today, Heather is used in soaps, fragrances, aromatherapy products and more.
One of the most well-known legends is centered around a confrontation between Viking raiders and the last surviving Pictish King.
Some accounts put it during the 4th Century AD, but as the Vikings didn't actually appear on Scottish soil until the end of the 8th Century, this is unlikely... although of course, it's a legend, so there is a bit of 'wiggle room' here!
Anyway, after their army is defeated, the Pictish King and his son find themselves cornered on a cliff-top, where the Viking chief tortures them in an attempt to obtain the secret recipe.
The King of the Picts is quick witted, but doubts that his son is strong enough to withstand the torture without giving up the recipe, and so he makes a deal with the Viking Chief, saying that if his son is spared the torture and killed quickly, he himself will reveal the secret.
So, the young prince is thrown off the cliff and into the sea where he drowns quickly. But, the Pictish King does not uphold his end of the arrangement, and it costs him his life - however in some variations of the tale he also takes the Viking with him.
Wild Scottish Heather is most often some shade of purple, with white heather being much more rare. Legend has it that in the 3rd Century AD, Malvina (daughter of the legendary Scottish poet, Ossian), was betrothed (engaged to be married) to a Celtic warrior named Oscar. Tragically, Oscar died in battle, and when Malvina heard the news she was heartbroken. The messenger who delivered the bad news, also delivered a spray of purple heather that Oscar had sent as a final token of his undying love for her.
It is said that when Malvinas' tears fell onto the flowers in her hand, they immediately turned white, and this magical occurence prompted her to say 'although it is the symbol of my sorrow, may the white heather bring good fortune to all who find it.'
Even today, white Heather is considered to be lucky, especially for brides, and adding a spray of it to your bouquet, on table decorations and so on is popular. But it is not only brides who believe that white Scottish Heather is a symbol of good luck.
Other myths surrounding the magical properties of white Scottish Heather include the belief that it grows only on ground where blood has not been shed in battle and also that it grows over the final resting place of Faeries.
Scottish Kilts
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| http://s018.radikal.ru/i521/1201/43/e8a78ed7b249.jpg |
Scottish Kilts have been proudly worn by the people of Scotland for centuries, and they're recognized around the world as one of Scotlands' most enduring symbols.
It's most often worn on occasions that could be considered 'ceremonial', including weddings, funerals, family parties, festivals and more. It's also worn by Highland Bands, Highland Dancers, and participants in the traditional Scottish Highland Games. Some Army regiments (and not just the British Army) also have the kilt as part of their 'dress uniform'.
The last time that kilts were worn in active combat was in 1940 (early in World War II), when the Royal Highland Regiment fought against the German army.
A real Scottish kilt should be tailor made to fit you, not bought 'off the rack'. Because of the way they fasten and fit, a kilt that is not exactly the right size won't hang correctly - spoiling the 'look'.
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