Dress & Society in Medieval Scotland

In medieval Scotland an individual’s identity was defined by categories such as gender, age, occupation, wealth and social status. Dress was key to maintaining and, occasionally, challenging these social norms. The way that people dressed reflected national and regional differences along with influence from other countries and cultures. Going beyond the quest for tartan that has long defined research in this area, this talk draws on a broad range of evidence, including the important medieval collections housed at Perth Museum, to paint a detailed picture of how dress shaped society in late medieval Scotland.

Dr Lydia Prosser is a medieval finds specialist. She has held a number of curatorial positions, most recently as Curator of Auckland Palace and the Faith Museum for the Auckland Project. She also teaches on the archaeology of medieval and post-medieval Britain at Durham University. Her PhD thesis was on late medieval Scottish dress accessories and she has published articles on the life and legacy of St Margaret of Scotland.