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Winter's Whispering Days
"The stag at eve had drunk his fill,
Where danced the moon on Monan's rill,
And deep his midnight lair had made
In lone Glenartney's hazel shade;
But, when the sun his beacon red
Had kindled on Benvoirlich's head,
The deep-mouthed bloodhound's heavy bay
Resounded up the rocky way,
And faint, from farther distance borne,
Were heard the clanging hoof and horn."
~ The Stag at Eve, Walter Scott, 1810
Edwin Landseer's famous 1851 portrait, The Monarch of the Glen, solidified the status of the Highland Red Stag as the king of Scottish landscape. The Rablogan A Monarch’s Winter tartan was designed fo portray, through colour and density the visual image of the Highland Red Stag against a winter landscape of the Highland Glen. The variations of blue are intended to depict a wintery sky and reflective shadows in the landscape; white for the natural snow cover; the thin brown lines are intended to depict the scant vegetation during winter; and the heavier browns portraying the Monarch himself with the reddish tones intended to characterize the essence of the Highlands flowing in the veins of all who hearken to the Scottish call of wild. 💙 🤍 🤎 ❤️ 🦌
The Red Stag (Cervus elaphus), often called the "Monarch of the Glen," has been a symbol of Scotland's rugged beauty and wild heritage for centuries. Native to Scotland, red deer are the largest land mammals in the British Isles, with stags recognizable by their majestic antlers, which can grow up to 16 points.
The red deer’s presence in Scotland dates back thousands of years, thriving in the forests and moorlands since the Mesolithic era. They were vital to early humans for food, clothing, and tools made from antlers and bones. Ancient Picts often depicted stags in their carvings, emphasizing their spiritual and cultural significance.
During the medieval period, red deer became central to Scotland's feudal hunting culture. Landowners and nobility reserved vast tracts of land, or "deer forests," for hunting. These forests, such as Glen Affric and Rannoch Moor, were vital habitats for red deer. Hunting the stag was not only a means of sustenance but also a symbol of power and privilege.
In the 19th century, the red stag gained iconic status during the Victorian era. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s love for the Scottish Highlands, especially Balmoral Estate, popularized "deer stalking" as a gentleman’s sport. This era also saw the publication of Sir Walter Scott’s The Lady of the Lake (1810), which immortalized the Highland stag in literature. Furthermore, Edwin Landseer’s famous painting The Monarch of the Glen (1851) cemented the stag's image as a representation of Scottish wilderness and nobility.
For more on spotting this majestic and historic creature, click the famous portrait!