The Picts and Scots - c.297 - 843

The Picts are first mentioned by the Roman writer Eumenius in 297 when he described the northern people of the British Isles as Picti. The name Picti means 'painted ones' and may have been a nickname given to the people of Scotland by the Roman garrisons. Of course this does not mean that the Picts came into existence at that date, it just happens to be the first time they are mentioned in recorded history. In fact, the Picts were the direct descendents of the indigenous Bronze and Iron Age peoples of a large part of the area that became Scotland. It is likely that separate tribal groupings mentioned by Roman writers, such as the Maeatae and Caledonii, came together to form Pictland.

Although much has been discovered concerning the Picts in recent decades there is much that is still unknown. They left little in the way of written records, except for a few late king-lists in Latin. The Picts are most famous for their carved stones which employed a variety of symbols, the meaning of which is still obscure. Many of these symbols are used throughout this website. Very little is known regarding Pictish settlement although more evidence is coming to light through excavations every year. Souterrains are a form of underground chamber which were used from before the time of the historical Picts but there is evidence that the sites continued to be used into the historical period.

Carlungie souterrain

Ardestie souterrain

To gauge the extent of Pictland two many sources are used. These are the carved symbol stones and place-names, this shows that the Picts occupied the north half of Scotland including the Northern Isles. Pit place-names are found throughout this area and this is thought to be a survival of a Pictish term meaning a parcel of land, such as Pitlochry and Pitsligo.Their territory stretched all the way down the east coast to the Forth. One Pictish symbol stone was found in Edinburgh at Princes St Gardens and this shows that they possibly extended across the Forth as well. Material remains are few although some spectacular finds have been made. A hoard of personal adornments was found at Norrie's Law, Fife which included items with Pictish symbols on them. Another hoard of artefacts was found at St Ninian's Isle in Shetland. Pictish carved stones are divided into three classes: Class I stones are usually rough boulders incised with the unique Pictish symbols only. Class II stones are rectangular slabs that, in addition to Pictish symbols, contain relief sculpture of the Christian cross and narrative scenes. Class III are similar to Class II stones but without the symbols. Many stones are still visible in the countryside, there are some very good examples at Aberlemno in Angus. Many others can be seen at various local museums, such as Rosemarkie in Ross & Cromarty and St Vigeans in Angus. The new Museum of Scotland will also be displaying many fine examples. The disappearance of Pictish culture, but not the Picts themselves, happened around the middle of the ninth century when Kenneth MacAlpin became king of both the Scots and the Picts. It is known that there have been links between Scotland and Ireland since Neolithic times and by 500 A.D. there was a kingdom ruled by Fergus mac Erc, who was of the tribe of Dalriata from Antrim. The Scots had major centres at Dunadd and Dunollie, and it was at Dunadd their kings were crowned. At this site on one of the lower terraces there are carvings of a boar and the outline of a foot in addition to a rock basin and some ogham writing. It was to Dalriada that Columba came in the 6th century and he installed his kinsman Aidan as the 6th king of Dalriada.

Pictish stone, Aberlemno, Angus Hilton of Cadboll Class II stone

History Books on the Picts and Scots:

Author	Title	Published	Price	Order Now From:
Alcock, Leslie	Kings and Warriors, Craftsmen and Priests in Northern Britain AD 550-850 (Society of Antiquaries of Scotland Monograph S.)	2003	£39.99	Amazon.co.uk
A rich and vigorous picture of the ‘Heroic Age’ in Northern Britain between AD 550 and 850, this magisterial volume results from Professor Alcock’s Rhind Lectures of 1988-89 for the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. The work examines themes distilled from decades of teaching, excavation and research, including the political, religious and economic structures of society; the nature of warfare, physical structures of society and the more peaceful pursuits of the age. Geographically the book encompasses mainland Scotland, across Northumbria to the Tees, embracing the lands of Pict, Scot, Briton and Angle. History and archaeology are interwoven to portray the Early Historic period in a manner as elaborate, meticulous and informative as the great manuscripts of the Age.
Allen, J. Romilly & Joseph Anderson	The Early Christian Monuments of Scotland (2 volumes)	1993	£49.00	Amazon.co.uk
The Early Christian Monuments of Scotland has been called 'an inexhaustible storehouse of information', and is regarded as 'the Bible of Pictish studies'. A comprehensive study of the early sculptured stones of Scotland by two of the foremost exponents of the new scientific archaeology: J. Romilly Allen and Joseph Anderson, it was commissioned by the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland in 1890, and first published in 1903. Profusely illustrated with over 2500 illustrations, it contains photographs of of the stones, detailed drawings from photographic reductions of Romilly Allen's original rubbings of them, and his masterly analytical drawings of the interlace and the other design elements carved on them. This new two volume edition, in an easy-to-handle format, eagerly welcomed by scholars of the period, will also appeal to the growing number of enthusiasts of this alluring aspect of Scottish culture and history.
Aitchison, Nick	The Picts and the Scots at War	2003	£20.00	Amazon.co.uk
The Picts are perhaps the most enigmatic and poorly understood of all the peoples of early medieval Britain. Nick Aitchison illuminates all aspects of their mysterious world in this book including the nature of Pictish kingship and the aristocracy, warfare and everyday life. The shadowy world of Pictish religion and mythology, pagan and Christian, is also investigated, as is the decline of the Picts and the reasons for the dominance of the Scots. Illustrated with vivid scenes of Pictish sites and works of art, including their internationally famous sculptures, this study is full of fresh insights for anyone fascinated by the mysteries of the Dark Ages or the drama of early Scottish history.
Cummins, W. A.	Age of the Picts	1998	£10.99	Amazon.co.uk
The Pictish nation, forged in the shadow of the Roman empire, was the dominant power in northern Britain for more than 500 years. Dr Cummins places the story of the Picts in its historical context, and makes comparisons with contemporary events in Wales and England.
Cummins, W. A.	The Picts and Their Symbols	1999	£20.00 or $34.95	Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com
The Pictish symbols, to be seen clearly on all the standing stones, monuments and Pictish objects that have survived, remain an enigma. In this book, W.A. Cummings tackles the task of interpreting the symbols.
Cummins, W. A.	The Lost Language of the Picts	2001	£9.50	Amazon.co.uk
Pictish is a dead language. It has been dead for over a thousand years. Not a single sentence written in the Pictish language has survived. The sparsity of the evidence - a few fragments in the names of people and places - has not deterred a small body of experts from making sweeping and sometimes quite unfounded generalisations, and making them with such authority that the ordinary Pictophile is blinded by linguistic science. In this new book, a sequel to two earlier books on the Picts, Dr Cummins sets out, in non-technical language, to re-examine the evidence. Some of it crumbles away at a touch. The so-called Pictish ogham inscriptions for example were probably written in Irish, in spite of a recent attempt to show that their language was Old Norse. In either case, they tell us nothing about the Pictish language. Evidence from documents or parts of documents, generally written in Latin, which can be dated to the Pictish period, sheds new light on the study of Pictish place-names. The surnames, or descriptive names, given to the early Pictish kings also provide an insight into the language spoken at the time. The main enquiry into the language of the Picts has inevitably raised some historical questions: Was Orkney ever part of the Pictish kingdom? Were there any Picts in Shetland? And was the St Ninian's Isle Treasure really Pictish?
Fisher, Ian	Early Medieval Sculpture in the West Highlands and Islands	2001	£20.00	Amazon.co.uk
'This volume will come to be the standard reference for the Early Medieval stones of the North and West. It raises important questions and is a most welcome contribution to the effort of understanding the history and archaeology of the area.' (Click here for full review) Mary A. MacLeod History Scotland
Foster, S.	Picts, Gaels & Scots	1996	£15.99	Amazon.co.uk
Due to the extraordinary influence of the Picts and their neighbours, the Gaels, by the 11th century Scotland had become a single, unified kingdom, under a stable and successful monarchy. This book examines the origins of the Picts and the Gaels, and how they became Scots.
Henry, David (Ed.)	The Worm, the Germ, and the Thorn: Pictish and Related Studies Presented to Isabel Henderson	1997	£30.00	Amazon.co.uk
These studies were written in honour of Isabel Henderson, one of the foremost scholars of Pictish art and history, whose influential book The Picts, published in 1967, helped to lay the foundation for modern Pictish studies. The collection comprising The Worm, the Germ, and the Thorn represent the wide scope of enquiry of modern scholars and their diversity of approach to the study of the Picts. Specialists in several disciplines - history, archaeology, art and iconography, language, place-names, folklore, illustration and photography - have combined to produce this stimulating addition to the literature on the Picts.
George Henderson, Isabel Henderson	The Art of the Picts: Sculpture and Metalwork in Early Medieval Scotland	2004	£42.00 (Amazon are currently selling this book for £29.40!)	Amazon.co.uk
A sustained art-historical analysis of the work of the Picts, perhaps the least well-known of the Celtic peoples, who occupied north-eastern Scotland between the 6th and 9th centuries. The only real traces of their society are stone cross slabs and some silverwork, all engraved with symbols.
Laing, L. & L.	The Picts and the Scots	1994	£10.99	Amazon.co.uk
This account presents the latest archaeological discoveries and discusses the relationship between the Picts and Scots, tracing their development from raids on Roman Britain to the formation of rival Dark Age kingdoms that produced a unique artistic inheritance.
Mack, A. L.	Field Guide to the Pictish Symbol Stones	1997	£14.50	Amazon.co.uk
This comprehensive guide to the symbol stones of Pictland should become the essential companion for the intrepid symbol-chaser and armchair-traveller alike. Extremely practical and easy-to-use, it contains a wealth of detailed information about all the symbol stones and how to get to them, whether they are 'in the field' or in museum collections. This is greatly aided by the use of many detailed location maps; road maps, showing the relative positions of the stones, will be especially invaluable for anyone planning a tour - the book will fit comfortably into the pocket or rucksack, or the glove compartment of a car. Museum opening times and charges are given, and there is even a section on lost stones and another on qustionable symbol stones. In addition there are hitherto unpublished distribution maps for each symbol and a most useful index listing each stone, not only showing where to find its entry in the book, but giving at-a-glance information as to its findspot and present location as well. This book is the product of an immense amount of painstaking research, travel, and devoted labour, and it is designed to meet the needs of anyone with an interest in the Pictish symbols.
Peterson, E.	Message of Scotland's Symbol Stones	1995	£18.00	Amazon.co.uk
A revised edition of this attempt to understand the meaning behind the mysterious and beautiful Pictish symbol stones which seem to be nearly unique to Scotland.
Ritchie, Anna	Picts	1999	£5.99	Amazon.co.uk
Originally published by the Stationery Office for Historic Scotland, this heavily illustrated guide gives a good introduction to the enigmatic period of the Picts, who have left no written history but a wealth of exquisitely carved symbol stones.
Smyth, A. P.	Warlords and Holy Men: Scotland AD 80-1000	1984	£9.95 or $20.00	Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com
Basing his work strongly on documentary and archaeological sources, Alfred Smyth covers traditional topics in a thoroughly unconventional manner. Winner of the 1985 Spring Book Award for Literature, this lively account of the first millenium in Scotland has become a standard textbook on the period and was reprinted in 1998.
Sutherland, E.	Pictish Guide	1997	£7.99 or $15.95	Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com
This is an essential guide for all those who want to learn more about the Picts, the Dark Age warrior people who ruled much of Scotland before the Scots and Vikings overwhelmed them over 1000 years ago. The Picts left a legacy of carved stones, which can be found throughout the country in churchyards, museums and private collections. The mysterious and magnificent carvings on these stones are a source of wonder for all who have seen them. This book lists all the known stones (c. 630 examples), whether complete or fragmentary, pagan or Christian, even those which have been lost over the years. New stones are still being found, and the most recent discoveries are included. Descriptions are given of the three classes of Pictish stones, their symbols and decorations, and possible interpretations of their meaning and location. This is an accessible and enthralling guide, which enables readers to discover and perhaps unravel the mysteries of the Picts for themselves.
Sutherland, E.	In Search of the Picts: A Celtic Dark Age People	1995	£12.95	Amazon.co.uk
The Picts - the Celtic tribes who lived in Scotland north of the Forth-Clyde valley between AD 297 and 840 - left behind little in the way of written records about their way of life. But they did leave behind their extraordinary symbol stones, scattered across the landscape from Fife as far north as Shetland. And the comments of Classical and contemporary writers, the findings of archaeologists, the place-names that survive from Pictish days, all provide us with further clues about their history and culture. In this penetrating study, Elizabeth Sutherland assesses the evidence to produce a fascinating and highly revealing account of the Picts and their way of life. Her evocative narrative is enhanced by Tom Gray's specially commissioned photographs of the stones. Pictland emerges as a territory ruled over by a high king, with the aid of provincial kings and lesser lords. Elizabeth Sutherland analyses life in the aristocratic forts, and life in the ordinary settlements. She discusses Pictish religion, Pictish art, their language and the evolution of Pictish society over time. She considers their battles and ultimate defeat at the hands of the Scots, which led to the creation of the Scottish kingdom. The Picts emerge as a highly organized people with a sophisticated appreciation of art and a close relationship to the environment. Elizabeth Sutherland shows conclusively that they were not, as has sometimes been argued, "little dark savages". The story of the Picts is both the story of a Celtic kingdom and part of the history of modern Scotland. This book will delight all those interested in Celtic and Scottish culture.
Taylor, Simon (Ed.)	Kings, Clerics and Chronicles in Scotland, 500-1297: Essays in Honour of Marjorie Ogilvie Anderson on the Occasion of Her Ninetieth Birthday	2000	£39.50	Amazon.co.uk
The topics in this collection include: the thriving of Scottish Dalriada; the Chronicle of the Kings of Alba; the coming of the Augustinians to St Andrews;the function of sculpture in Alba; sources and uses of the Chronicle of Melrose, 1165-1297.'