What Are The Origins Of The Tartans?

This is a matter of some debate.

Some Historians have argued that they originated in pre- Roman times. This evidence was supported by the discovery of a fragment of coth near to the Antonine Wall in Scotland. The find was an isolated one and with out supporting evidence it would be difficult to attribute tartans to that date.

Martin Martin in his Tour of the Hebrides during the 1690's mentioned ' fine plaids of divers colours.It isn't possible to tell whether or not these were clan tartans or a fashion within a defined area isn't known.
Martins description of the Western Isles of Scotland 1703, mentions 'Every Isle differs from each other in their fancy of making plaids as to the stripes in breadth and colour. This homour is as different through the mainland of the Highlands, insofar that they who have seen those places are able at first view of a man's plaid to guess the place of his residence'.