Scotland’s been responsible for so many inventions that one wonders just where we would be today without them. We all know the main ones – golf, the television, the telephone, the bicycle, the steam engine (okay, we don’t still use that one but it sure was important) – but here are 7 equally interesting/important ones […]
The New Town in Edinburgh is a beautiful area right smack bang in the centre of the city, contrasting greatly with it’s counterpart the Old Town. One straight and neat, in fact considered to be a masterpiece of city planning, the other jumbled and confused but layered in history. Let’s take a look at a very […]
During the week we posted a picture we took when on a visit to the haunting yet beautiful site of the Battle of Culloden, which you can see below… We asked our many fans if they had ever been and if they could share their pictures in an effort to take a look at some […]
The Flag of Scotland is called the Saltire or the St Andrews Cross. It is a white diagonal cross on a blue field. The legend of it’s origins as the national flag go all the way back to 832AD. A joint force of Picts and Scots under King Angus (or Óengus) of The Picts met […]
The thistle is the national flower of Scotland, much like the rose is the national flower of England and the United States. Today we’re going to look at two interesting things about this flower, the tale as to why it became the national flower and also the unofficial national anthem it inspired. There are several […]
It’s interesting to learn that until 1996 the bagpipes were classified as a weapon of war. This does not simply mean an instrument played in battle, or a tool used to direct troops, it actually means a physical weapon, like a sword or a musket. The origins of this take us all the way back […]
The Royal Mile, one of the most famous streets in Edinburgh, runs from the castle all the way down to Holyrood Palace. When Edinburgh castle was first established this was the only accessible route, a natural ramp formed thousands of years ago gave access to a castle otherwise impregnable from the east. With the establishment […]
The Sgian Dubh is a small edged knife, usually 3-4 inches (~8-10cm) in length, that is worn as part of the traditional Highland dress tucked into the top of the kilt hose with only the handle visible. It’s origins are fairly unclear, although it is now a purely ornamental item, most communally applied with an […]
The quaich is a traditional Scottish drinking vessel which was used to offer a guest a cup of welcome and also a farewell drink, usually a dram of whisky. The quaich has a rich heritage in Scotland. Indeed, they are a uniquely Scottish invention, having no apparent connection to any other European drinking vessel. The word […]
Firstly can I introduce myself I am heriditary Clan Chief of the Pocasset Wampanoag Tribe Pokanoket Nation, otherwise known as Daryl Black Eagle Jamieson Suki Wompsikuk (Black Eagle). I live in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, and have long known about my combined Native American and Scottish Ancestry. My surname is Scottish and even have red haired […]
