Clan symbols (such as the tartan seen above, and the crest below) were an important part of highland culture. It was a source of pride for the clan members, and was often used to distinguish them from other highlanders. Many symbols are a product of a great accomplishment, or the fame of the ancestor (e.g. The MacGregors, who claim decent from Scottish King Kenneth MacAlpine, have the motto of "'S Rioghal mo dhream" or "Royal is my race"), a Clan characteristic (e.g. the crest of the pugnacious Gunn's, depicting a hand holding a sword), or even a territorial claim (the war cry of the Sutherlands is "Ceann na droichaide bige", or the "head of the little bridge", referring to a rallying point in the town of Golspie, south of Dunrobin Castle).
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