New tartan commemorates women accused under Scotland’s witchcraft laws
The Witches Tartan recognises those, mostly women, who faced prosecution and execution between 1563 and 1736. Data from the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft suggests 3,837 people were accused, with around 2,500 executed. Designed and produced by Prickly Thistle Scotland, the tartan incorporates symbolic colours: black for history, grey for ash, red for blood, pink for legal ribbons, and a white check of three threads representing the goals of the Witches of Scotland campaign —pardon, apology, and memorial. The tartan was officially registered on 11 February. While an apology was given in 2022, the campaign continues to seek formal recognition through legal and memorial means.
