William Wallace: The tapestry took more than two months to produce.
A pair of tapestries inspired by the only letters known to be directly connected to William Wallace have been unveiled for an exhibition.
The 700-year-old documents are being brought together for the first time to form the centrepiece of Special Delivery: The William Wallace Letters which opens in August.
The exhibition features the so-called Lubeck Letter, issued by Wallace and his ally Andrew Murray, inviting the ports of Lubeck and Hamburg (in what is now Germany) to resume trade with Scotland; and a letter of 1300 from French king Philip IV to his agents at the Papal Court, asking them to help Wallace in his business before the Pope.
Commissioned by National Records of Scotland and designed at Dovecot Studios in Edinburgh, the tapestries will hang behind each of the exhibits. Their design is inspired by the intricate lettering and parchment of the documents.
George Mackenzie, keeper of the Records of Scotland, said: "I'm excited about the tapestries in our exhibition on William Wallace, which will add a whole new dimension for visitors. It's fascinating that the weavers are using methods Wallace would recognise if he was alive today."
The tapestries took more than two months to produce, using traditional hand-weaving techniques on upright looms. They contain the Latin words for William Wallace, Scotland and Lubeck: Guillelmum (William) and Scotia (Scotland) on one; Wallensis (Wallace) and Lubek (Lubeck) on the other.
Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop unveiled the tapestries at Dovecot Studios.
She said: "The Wallace exhibition is of tremendous importance, providing an opportunity for the people of Scotland to see these two historic documents side by side for the first time.
"These bespoke tapestries have been carefully crafted by skilled weavers using traditional techniques which, like the letters, have stood the test of time. They will provide a beautiful and fitting backdrop to add to the fascinating experience that the exhibition will deliver."
Special Delivery, which is free to attend, runs at the Scottish Parliament from August 10 to September 8.
The letter from Philip IV to the Papal Court is on long-term loan to National Records of Scotland from The National Archives in London. The Lubeck Letter is on loan from the Hansestadt Lubeck Archive in Germany. Both are very fragile and will only be displayed under controlled lighting for a limited period.
