Natural Heritage

In 1933, workmen, whilst digging the foundations for the Callendar Riggs Bus Station, uncovered a jar containing Roman coins. The jar was sealed with a fragment of fabric, which was said to be the earliest known form of tartan. The post to the right of the photo below roughly marks the place where it was found. Hoard and Tartan are now kept at the National Museum of Scotland, Chambers St, Edinburgh (NS 8922 7992). A dating test revealed that the jar was buried after the Romans left the UK and that the woven fabric had been made from the natural, undyed wool of Soay sheep.