page_title: Sporran
section_title: Types
hierarchical_section_title: Sporran / Types
caption_attribution_description: English: You people have worked miracles with far less, but I somehow think that this beautifully kilted soldier may remain unidentified. What think ye? In case this is too much of a toughie, also upcycling a Munsterset photo that only ever got one comment... Date: Circa 1921 NLI Ref.: BEA32
context_page_description: The sporran, a traditional part of male Scottish Highland dress, is a pouch that performs the same function as pockets on the pocketless kilt. Made of leather or fur, the ornamentation of the sporran is chosen to complement the formality of dress worn with it. The sporran is worn on a leather strap or chain, conventionally positioned in front of the groin of the wearer.
  Since the traditional kilt does not have pockets, the sporran serves as a wallet and container for any other necessary personal items. It is essentially a survival of the common European medieval belt-pouch, superseded elsewhere as clothing came to have pockets, but continuing in the Scottish Highlands because of the lack of these accessories in traditional dress. The sporran hangs below the belt buckle; and much effort is made to match their style and design. The kilt belt buckle may be very ornate, and contain similar motifs to the sporran cantle and the Sgian Dubh. Early sporrans would have been worn suspended from the belt on one or other of the hips, rather than hung from a separate strap in front of the wearer.
caption: Unknown United Kingdom soldier wearing a two tassel sporran and a grey kilt [1921]
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