A replica of the Hilton of Cadboll Stone. The Hilton of Cadboll Stone is a Class II Pictish stone discovered at Hilton of Cadboll, on the Tarbat Peninsula in Easter Ross, Scotland.

The Picts were a confederation of tribes in what later was to become central and northern Scotland from Roman times until the 10th century. A confederation is a group of empowered states or communities usually created by treaty but often later adopting a common constitution Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial They lived to the north of the Forth and Clyde. The River Clyde ( Gaelic: Abhainn Chluaidh, avɪɲˈxɫ̪uəj is a major River in Scotland. They are often assumed to have been the descendants of the Caledonii and other tribes named by Roman historians or found on the world map of Ptolemy, though the evidence for this connection is circumstantial and the issue of "Pict" origins remains controversial among historians. The Caledonians ( Latin: Caledonii) or Caledonian Confederacy, is a name given by historians to a group of the Indigenous PtomelyAsiaDetailjpg|thumb|350px|Detail of East and Southeast Asia in Ptolemy 's world map Claudius Ptolemaeus ( Greek: Klaúdios Ptolemaîos; after 83 &ndash ca Pictland, also known as Pictavia, became the Kingdom of Alba also known as Albania, during the 10th century and the Picts became the Fir Alban, the men of Alba. The Kingdom of Alba ( Gaelic: Rìoghachd na h-Alba) pertains to the Kingdom of Scotland between the deaths of Donald II (Domnall mac Causantin

Archaeology gives some impression of the society of the Picts. Although very little in the way of Pictish writing has survived, Pictish history since late 6th century is known from a variety of sources, including Bede's 'History', saints' lives, such as that of Columba by Adomnán, and various Irish annals. Bede (ˈbiːd (also Saint Bede, the Venerable Bede, or (from Latin Beda (beda (c WikipediaPersondata --> See Columba (disambiguation and St Columb for other uses Saint Adomnán of Iona (627/8 &ndash 704 was Abbot of Iona (679-704 Hagiographer, statesman and clerical lawyer he was the author of the most A number of Irish annals were compiled up to and shortly after the end of Gaelic Ireland in the 17th century Although the popular impression of the Picts may be one of an obscure, mysterious people, this is far from being the case. When compared with the generality of Northern, Central and Eastern Europe in Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages, Pictish history and society are well attested. Northern Europe is a term for the northern part of Europe. The United Nations defines Northern Europe as (Finland Central Europe is the Region lying between the variously and vaguely defined areas of Eastern and Eastern Europe is a general term that refers to the Geopolitical region encompassing the easternmost part of the European continent. Late Antiquity (c 300-600 is a Periodization used by historians to describe the transitional centuries from Classical Antiquity to the Middle Ages, in The Early Middle Ages is a period in the History of Europe following the fall of the Western Roman Empire spanning roughly five centuries from AD 500 ^[1]

Names

The name by which the Picts called themselves is unknown. The Greek word Πικτοί (Latin Picti) first appears in a panegyric written by Eumenius in AD 297 and is taken to mean "painted or tattooed people" (Latin pingere "paint"). Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. A panegyric is a formal public speech, or (in later use written verse delivered in high praise of a Person or thing, a generally highly studied and discriminating Eumenius (born c 260 at the latest more probably between 230 and 240) was one of the Roman Panegyrists and author of a speech transmitted A tattoo is a permanent marking made by inserting ink into the layers of Skin to change the pigment for decorative or other reasons The Gaels of Ireland and the Scottish kingdom of Dál Riata called the Picts Cruithne, (Old Irish cru(i)then-túath), presumably from Proto-Celtic *k^writeno-toutā. Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world Dál Riata (also Dalriada or Dalriata) was a Gaelic overkingdom on the western seaboard of Scotland with some territory on the northern Old Irish is the name given to the oldest form of the Irish language, or rather the Goidelic languages, for which extensive written texts are possessed Phonological reconstruction Consonants The phonological changes from Proto-Indo-European to Proto-Celtic Consonants may be summarised as follows There were also people referred to as Cruithne in Ulster, in particular the kings of Dál nAraidi. Ulster ( Ulaidh ˈkwɪɟɪ ˈʌlˠu / ˈʌlˠi is one of the four provinces of Ireland, in addition to Connacht, Munster and Leinster Dál nAraidi (sometimes Latinised as Dalaradia &mdash which should not be confused with Dál Riata, Latinised as Dalriada was a kingdom of the Cruthin ^[2] The Britons (later the Welsh and Cornish) in the south knew them, in the P-Celtic form of "Cruithne", as Prydyn; the terms "Britain" and "Briton" come from the same root. The Welsh people ( Welsh: Cymro ("Welshman" Cymraes ("Welsh woman" Cymry ("Welshmen/women" Cymry ^[3] Their Old English name gave the modern Scots form Pechts. Scots ( The Scots leid) refers to Anglic varieties derived from early northern Middle English spoken in parts of Scotland and Northern ^[4]

History

The means by which the Pictish confederation formed in Late Antiquity from a number of tribes is unknown, although there is speculation that reaction to the growth of the Roman Empire was a factor. Late Antiquity (c 300-600 is a Periodization used by historians to describe the transitional centuries from Classical Antiquity to the Middle Ages, in ^[5]

Clach an Tiompain, a Class 1 Pictish symbol stone in Strathpeffer. The Clach an Tiompain (in English, the "Sounding Stone" or The Eagle Stone is a small Class I Pictish stone located on a hill in Strathpeffer Strathpeffer ( Srath Pheofhair in Gaelic) is a village and former Spa town in Ross and Cromarty, Highland

Pictland had previously been described as the home of the Caledonii. The Caledonians ( Latin: Caledonii) or Caledonian Confederacy, is a name given by historians to a group of the Indigenous ^[6] Other tribes said to have lived in the area included the Verturiones, Taexali and Venicones. Fortriu or the Kingdom of Fortriu is the name given by historians for an ancient Pictish kingdom and often used synonymously with ^[7] Except for the Caledonians, the names may be second- or third-hand: perhaps as reported to the Romans by speakers of Brythonic or Gaulish languages. ^[8]

Pictish recorded history begins in the Dark Ages. This article is about the phrase "Dark Age(s" as a characterization of the Early Middle Ages in Western Europe It appears that they were not the dominant power in Northern Britain for the entire period. Firstly the Gaels of Dál Riata dominated the region, but suffered a series of defeats in the first third of the 7th century. Dál Riata (also Dalriada or Dalriata) was a Gaelic overkingdom on the western seaboard of Scotland with some territory on the northern ^[9] The Angles of Bernicia overwhelmed the adjacent British kingdoms, and the neighbouring Anglian kingdom of Deira (Bernicia and Deira later being called Northumbria), was to become the most powerful kingdom in Britain. The Angles is a modern English word for a Germanic-speaking people who took their name from the cultural ancestral region of Angeln, a modern district located in Bernicia was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom established by Anglian settlers of the 6th century in what is now the South-East of Scotland and the North-East of Deira was a kingdom in Northern England during the 6th century AD ^[10] The Picts were probably tributary to Northumbria until the reign of Bridei map Beli, when the Anglians suffered a defeat at the battle of Dunnichen which halted their expansion northwards. King Bridei III (or Bridei m Beli; OIr: Bruide mac Bili) (616/628?-693 was king of Fortriu and overking of the Picts between 671 The Battle of Dunnichen or Battle of Nechtansmere ( Scottish Gaelic: Dúin Nechaín, Welsh: Linn garan) was fought between the The Northumbrians continued to dominate southern Scotland for the remainder of the Pictish period.

Britain around the year 802

In the reign of Óengus mac Fergusa (729–761), Dál Riata was very much subject to the Pictish king. Óengus son of Fergus ( Hypothetical Pictish form: Onuist map Urguist; Old Irish: Óengus mac Fergusso, Anglicisation Angus mac Fergus Although it had its own kings from the 760s, it appears that Dál Riata did not recover. ^[11] A later Pictish king, Caustantín mac Fergusa (793–820), placed his son Domnall on the throne of Dál Riata (811–835). Caustantín, called Caustantín mac Fergusa ( English: Constantine son of Fergus) (before 775&ndash820 was King of the Picts (or of Fortriu ^[12] Pictish attempts to achieve a similar dominance over the Britons of Alt Clut (Dumbarton) were not successful. Strathclyde ( Gaelic: Srath Chluaidh) (lit "Valley of the Clyde" originally Brythonic Ystrad Clud, was one of the kingdoms Dumbarton ( Gaelic Dùn Breatainn d̪̊unˈb̊ɾʲɛhd̪̊ɪɲ is a Burgh in Scotland, lying on the north bank of the River Clyde ^[13]

The Viking Age brought great changes in Britain and Ireland, no less in Scotland than elsewhere. Viking Age is the term denoting the years from about 700 to 1066 in European history. The kingdom of Dál Riata was destroyed, certainly by the middle of the 9th century, when Ketil Flatnose is said to have founded the Kingdom of the Isles. Ketil, nicknamed Flatnose, was a Norwegian Hersir of the mid 800s son of Bjorn (or Bjarni Buna The designation Lord of the Isles (Triath nan Eilean or Rí Innse Gall now a Scottish title of nobility, emerged from a series of hybrid Viking / Gaelic Northumbria too succumbed to the Vikings, who founded the Kingdom of York, and the kingdom of Strathclyde was also greatly affected. Strathclyde ( Gaelic: Srath Chluaidh) (lit "Valley of the Clyde" originally Brythonic Ystrad Clud, was one of the kingdoms The king of Fortriu Eógan mac Óengusa, the king of Dál Riata Áed mac Boanta, and many more, were killed in a major battle against the Vikings in 839. Uuen or Eogán in Gaelic (commonly referred to by the Hypocoristic Eóganán) was king of the Picts, or of Fortriu (as it was known in Ireland Áed mac Boanta (died 839 is believed to have been a King of Dál Riata. ^[14] The rise of Cínaed mac Ailpín (Kenneth MacAlpin) in the 840s, in the aftermath of this disaster, brought to power the family who would preside over the last days of the Pictish kingdom and found the new kingdom of Alba, although Cínaed himself was never other than king of the Picts. Cináed mac Ailpín ( Modern Gaelic: Coinneach mac Ailpein) commonly Anglicised as Kenneth MacAlpin and known in most modern regnal lists as

In the reign of Cínaed's grandson, Caustantín mac Áeda (900–943), the kingdom of the Picts became the kingdom of Alba. Constantine son of Áed ( Mediaeval Gaelic: Constantín mac Áeda; Modern Gaelic: Còiseam mac Aoidh) known in most modern regnal lists The change from Pictland to Alba may not have been noticeable at first; indeed, as we do not know the Pictish name for their land, it may not have been a change at all. The Picts, along with their language, did not disappear suddenly. The process of Gaelicisation, which may have begun generations earlier, continued under Caustantín and his successors. When the last inhabitants of Alba were fully Gaelicised, becoming Scots, probably during the 11th century, the Picts were soon forgotten. ^[15] Later they would reappear in myth and legend. The word mythology (from the Greek grc μυθολογία mythología, meaning "a story-telling a legendary lore" A legend ( Latin, legenda, "things to be read" is a Narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to ^[16]

Kings and kingdoms

See also: List of Kings of the Picts

The early history of Pictland is, as has been said, unclear. The list of kings of the Picts is based on the Pictish Chronicle king lists In later periods multiple kings existed, ruling over separate kingdoms, with one king, sometimes two, more or less dominating their lesser neighbours. ^[17] De Situ Albanie, a late document, the Pictish Chronicle, the Duan Albanach, along with Irish legends, have been used to argue the existence of seven Pictish kingdoms. De Situ Albanie ( dSA) is the name given to the first of seven Scottish documents found in the so-called Poppleton Manuscript, now in the Bibliothèque The Pictish Chronicle is a name often given by historians to a list of the kings of the Picts beginning many thousand years before history was recorded in Pictavia The Duan Albanach ( Song of the Scots) is a Middle Gaelic poem found with the Lebor Bretnach, a Gaelic version of the Historia These are as follows; those in bold are known to have had kings, or are otherwise attested in the Pictish period:

• Cait, situated in modern Caithness and Sutherland
• Ce, situated in modern Mar and Buchan
• Circinn, perhaps situated in modern Angus and the Mearns^[18]
• Fib, the modern Fife, known to this day as 'the Kingdom of Fife'
• Fidach, location unknown
• Fotla, modern Atholl (Ath-Fotla)^[19]
• Fortriu, cognate with the Verturiones of the Romans; recently shown to be centered around Moray^[20]

Map showing the approximate areas of the kingdom of Fortriu and neighbours c. Cat or Cait was a Pictish kingdom during the Dark Ages. It was according to Pictish legend founded by Caitt (or Cat one of the seven sons Geography Caithness extends about 40 Miles (64 Kilometres) north-south and about 30 miles (50 km east-west Sutherland (In Gaelic the area is referred to according to its traditional areas Dùthaich 'Ic Aoidh (NW Asainte (Assynt and Cataibh (East Marr is one of six Committee areas in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, bordering Atholl, Badenoch, Gowrie, The Mearns Buchan (ˈbʌkn̩ locally ˈbʌxən is one of the six Committee areas and Administrative areas of Aberdeenshire Council, Scotland. Angus ( Aonghas in Gaelic) is one of the 32 local government Council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy area. The County of Kincardine, also known as Kincardineshire or The Mearns (from A' Mhaoirne meaning 'The Stewartry' was a local government Fife ( Gaelic: Fìobha) is a Council area of Scotland, situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland For other meanings of the term Atholl see Atholl (disambiguation Atholl or Athole ( Scottish Gaelic: Athall; Fortriu or the Kingdom of Fortriu is the name given by historians for an ancient Pictish kingdom and often used synonymously with Fortriu or the Kingdom of Fortriu is the name given by historians for an ancient Pictish kingdom and often used synonymously with 800, and the kingdom of Alba c. The Kingdom of Alba ( Gaelic: Rìoghachd na h-Alba) pertains to the Kingdom of Scotland between the deaths of Donald II (Domnall mac Causantin 900

More small kingdoms may have existed. Some evidence suggests that a Pictish kingdom also existed in Orkney. Orkney (also known as the Orkney Islands or incorrectly the Orkneys) is an Archipelago in northern Scotland, situated 10 miles (16 km north ^[21] De Situ Albanie is not the most reliable of sources, and the number of kingdoms, one for each of the seven sons of Cruithne, the eponymous founder of the Picts, may well be grounds enough for disbelief. ^[22] Regardless of the exact number of kingdoms and their names, the Pictish nation was not a united one.

For most of Pictish recorded history the kingdom of Fortriu appears dominant, so much so that king of Fortriu and king of the Picts may mean one and the same thing in the annals. This was previously thought to lie in the area around Perth and the southern Strathearn, whereas recent work has convinced those working in the field that Moray (a name referring to a very much larger area in the High Middle Ages than the county of Moray), was the core of Fortriu. Perth (Peairt is a town and former Royal burgh in central Scotland. Strathearn or Strath Earn, ( Scottish Gaelic, Srath Èireann) is the Strath (valley of the River Earn. Moray ( Moireibh in Gaelic) is one of the Registration counties of Scotland, bordering Nairnshire to the west Inverness-shire ^[23]

The Picts are often said to have practised matrilineal succession on the basis of Irish legends and a statement in Bede's history. Matrilineality is a system in which lineage is traced through the mother and maternal ancestors Bede (ˈbiːd (also Saint Bede, the Venerable Bede, or (from Latin Beda (beda (c In fact, Bede merely says that the Picts used matrilineal succession in exceptional cases. ^[24] The kings of the Picts when Bede was writing were Bridei and Nechtan, sons of Der Ilei, who indeed claimed the throne through their mother Der Ilei, daughter of an earlier Pictish king. ^[25]

In Ireland, kings were expected to come from among those who had a great-grandfather who had been king. ^[26] Kingly fathers were not frequently succeeded by their sons, not because the Picts practised matrilineal succession, but because they were usually followed by their brothers or cousins, more likely to be experienced men with the authority and the support necessary to be king. ^[27]

The nature of kingship changed considerably during the centuries of Pictish history. While kings had to be successful war leaders to maintain their authority, kingship became rather less personalised and more institutionalised during this time. Bureaucratic kingship was still far in the future when Pictland became Alba, but the support of the church, and the apparent ability of a small number of families to control the kingship for much of the period from the later 7th century onwards, provided a considerable degree of continuity. In the much same period, the Picts' neighbours in Dál Riata and Northumbria faced considerable difficulties as the stability of succession and rule which they had previously benefitted from came to an end. ^[28]

The later Mormaers are thought to have originated in Pictish times, and to have been copied from, or inspired by, Northumbrian usages. The title of Mormaer designates a regional or provincial ruler in the Medieval Kingdom of the Scots. ^[29] It is unclear whether the Mormaers were originally former kings, royal officials, or local nobles, or some combination of these. Likewise, the Pictish shires and thanages, traces of which are found in later times, are thought to have been adopted from their southern neighbours. ^[30]

Society

The harpist on the Dupplin Cross, Scotland, circa 800 AD

The archaeological record provides evidence of the material culture of the Picts. DupplinHarperjpg|150px|thumb|The harper on the Dupplin Cross Scotland circa 800 AD]]The Dupplin Cross is a carved monumental Pictish stone, which dates from around 800A In addition to its usual meaning in Social science, in Archaeology, the term culture is also used in reference to several related concepts unique to It tells of a society not readily distinguishable from its similar Gaelic and British neighbours, nor very different from the Anglo-Saxons to the south. For their language see Anglo-Saxon language. Anglo-Saxon is the term usually used to describe the invading Tribes in the south ^[31] Although analogy and knowledge of other "Celtic" societies may be a useful guide, these extended across a very large area. Relying on knowledge of pre-Roman Gaul, or 13th century Ireland, as a guide to the Picts of the 6th century may be misleading if analogy is pursued too far. Gaul (Gallia was the Roman name for the region of Western Europe comprising present day northern Italy, France, Belgium, western ^[32]

As with most peoples in the north of Europe in Late Antiquity, the Picts were farmers living in small communities. Late Antiquity (c 300-600 is a Periodization used by historians to describe the transitional centuries from Classical Antiquity to the Middle Ages, in Cattle and horses were an obvious sign of wealth and prestige, sheep and pigs were kept in large numbers, and place names suggest that transhumance was common. Transhumance is a term with two accepted usages Older sources use transhumance for vertical seasonal Livestock movement typically to higher Animals were small by later standards, although horses from Britain were imported into Ireland as breed-stock to enlarge native horses. From Irish sources it appears that the élite engaged in competitive cattle-breeding for size, and this may have been the case in Pictland also. Carvings show hunting with dogs, and also, unlike in Ireland, with falcons. Cereal crops included wheat, barley, oats and rye. Wheat ( Triticum spp is a worldwide cultivated grass from the Levant area of the Middle East. Barley ( Hordeum vulgare) is an annual Cereal Grain, which serves as a major animal Feed crop, with smaller amounts used for Oats redirects here It may mean either the common cereal oat discussed here or any cultivated or wild species of the Genus Avena. Rye ( Secale cereale) is a grass grown extensively as a grain and forage crop Vegetables included kale, cabbage, onions and leeks, peas and beans, turnips and carrots, and some types no longer common, such as skirret. Kale or Borecole is a form of Cabbage ( Brassica oleracea Acephala Group) green in color in which the central leaves do not The cabbage ( Brassica oleracea var capitata) is a leafy garden plant of the Family Brassicaceae (or Cruciferae used as a Organicsalsajpg||thumb|right|Onions used in salsa.]]Cooked onions in frying pan The leek, Allium ampeloprasum var porrum (L also sometimes known as Allium porrum, is a vegetable which belongs along with the Onion and A pea (inaccurately called a '''sweet pea''' by food distubutors is most commonly the small spherical Seed or the seed-pod of the Legume Pisum Bean is a common name for large plant Seeds of several genera of the family Fabaceae (formerly Leguminosae used for human food or animal For similar vegetables also called "turnip" see Turnip (disambiguation. The carrot ( Daucus carota subsp sativus, Etymology: Middle French carotte, from Late Latin carōta, from Greek karōton Sium sisarum or skirret is a Perennial plant of the family Apiaceae sometimes grown as a Root vegetable. Plants such as wild garlic, nettles and watercress may have been gathered in the wild. Ramsons, buckrams, wild garlic, broad-leaved garlic, wood garlic or bear's garlic ( Allium ursinum) is a wild relative Nettle is the common name for between 30-45 species of Flowering plants of the genus Urtica in the family Urticaceae, with a cosmopolitan though Watercresses ( Nasturtium officinale, N microphyllum; formerly Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum, R The pastoral economy meant that hides and leather were readily available. Wool was the main source of fibres for clothing, and flax was also common, although it is not clear if it was grown for fibres, for oil, or as a foodstuff. Wool is the fiber derived from the specialized skin cells called follicles of animals in the Caprinae family principally sheep, but the hair of certain species Flax (also known as common flax or linseed) (binomial name Linum usitatissimum) is a member of the genus Linum Fish, shellfish, seals and whales were exploited along coasts and rivers. The importance of domesticated animals argues that meat and milk products were a major part of the diet of ordinary people, while the élite would have eaten a diet rich in meat from farming and hunting. ^[33]

No Pictish counterparts to the areas of denser settlement around important fortresses in Gaul and southern Britain, or any other significant urban settlements, are known. Gaul (Gallia was the Roman name for the region of Western Europe comprising present day northern Italy, France, Belgium, western Larger, but not large, settlements existed around royal forts, such as at Burghead, or associated with religious foundations. Burghead is a small Town in Moray, Scotland, United Kingdom about 8 miles ^[34] No towns are known in Scotland until the 12th century. ^[35]

The technology of everyday life is not well recorded, but archaeological evidence shows it to have been similar to that in Ireland and Anglo-Saxon England. Recently evidence has been found of watermills in Pictland. This article is about a type of structure For other locational uses see Milldam. Kilns were used for drying kernels of wheat or barley, not otherwise easy in the changeable, temperate climate. Kilns are thermally insulated chambers or Ovens in which controlled temperature regimes are produced ^[36]

Reconstructed crannog on Loch Tay

The early Picts are associated with piracy and raiding along the coasts of Roman Britain. For Canada's organic brewery see Crannóg Ales A crannóg is an artificial island usually originally built in lakes rivers and estuarine waters and most often Loch Tay ( Scottish Gaelic, Loch Tatha) is a freshwater Loch in the central highlands of Scotland, in the district of Perthshire Roman Britain refers to those parts of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire between AD 43 and 410 Even in the Late Middle Ages, the line between traders and pirates was unclear, so that Pictish pirates were probably merchants on other occasions. The Late Middle Ages is a term used by historians to describe European history in the period of the 14th and 15th centuries (AD 1300–1499 It is generally assumed that trade collapsed with the Roman Empire, but this is to overstate the case. There is only limited evidence of long-distance trade with Pictland, but tableware and storage vessels from Gaul, probably transported up the Irish Sea, have been found. The Irish Sea ( Irish: Muir Éireann or Muir Meann; Scottish Gaelic: Muir Eireann Welsh: Môr Iwerddon, This trade may have been controlled from Dunadd in Dál Riata, where such goods appear to have been common. Dunadd, 'fort on the Add' is an Iron Age and later Hillfort near Kilmartin in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, a little north of While long-distance travel was unusual in Pictish times, it was far from unknown as stories of missionaries, travelling clerics and exiles show. ^[37]

Brochs are popularly associated with the Picts. A Broch is an Iron Age Drystone hollow-walled structure of a type found only in Scotland. Although these were built earlier in the Iron Age, with construction ending around 100 AD, they remained in use into and beyond the Pictish period. This article is about the archaeological period known as the Iron Age for the mythological Iron Age see Ages of Man. ^[38] Crannogs, which may originate in Neolithic Scotland, may have been rebuilt, and some were still in use in the time of the Picts. For Canada's organic brewery see Crannóg Ales A crannóg is an artificial island usually originally built in lakes rivers and estuarine waters and most often The Neolithic (from Greek νεολιθικός — neolithikos from νέος neos, "new" + λίθος lithos ^[39] The most common sort of buildings would have been roundhouses and rectangular timbered halls. The roundhouse is a type of house with a circular plan built in western Europe before the Roman occupation ^[40] While many churches were built in wood, from the early 8th century, if not earlier, some were built in stone. ^[41]

The Picts are often said to have tattooed themselves, but evidence for this is limited. Naturalistic depictions of Pictish nobles, hunters and warriors, male and female, without obvious tattoos, are found on monumental stones. Pictish stones are monumental Stelae found in Scotland, mostly north of the Clyde-Forth line These stones include inscriptions in Latin and Ogham script, not all of which have been deciphered. Ogham (ogam ˈɔɣam Modern Irish or, English) is an Early Medieval Alphabet used primarily to represent the Old Irish language (and The well known Pictish symbols found on stones, and elsewhere, are obscure in meaning. A variety of esoteric explanations have been offered, but the simplest conclusion may be that these symbols represent the names of those who had raised, or are commemorated on, the stones. Pictish art can be classed as Celtic, and later as Insular. Celtic art is art associated with various people known as Celts; those who spoke the Celtic languages in Europe from pre-history through to the modern period Migration Period art is the artwork of Germanic peoples during the Migration period of 300 to 900 ^[42] Irish poets portrayed their Pictish counterparts as very much like themselves. ^[43]

Religion

An early 20th century depiction of Columba's miracle at the gate of King Bridei's fortress, described in Adomnán's late 7th century Vita Columbae. WikipediaPersondata --> See Columba (disambiguation and St Columb for other uses Bridei son of Maelchon, was king of the Picts until his death around 584&ndash586 Saint Adomnán of Iona (627/8 &ndash 704 was Abbot of Iona (679-704 Hagiographer, statesman and clerical lawyer he was the author of the most

Early Pictish religion is presumed to have resembled Celtic polytheism in general, although only place names remain from the pre-Christian era. Celtic polytheism refers to the religious beliefs and practices of ancient Celts, prior to the Christianization of the Celtic-speaking lands The date at which the Pictish elite converted to Christianity is uncertain, but there are traditions which place Saint Palladius in Pictland after leaving Ireland, and link Abernethy with Saint Brigid of Kildare. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Palladius (fl 408-431 probably died ca 457/461 was the first Bishop of the Christians of Ireland, preceding Saint Patrick. Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world Abernethy ( Obar Neithich) is a village in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, situated eight Miles south-east of Perth. ^[44] Saint Patrick refers to "apostate picts", while the poem Y Gododdin does not remark on the picts as pagans. Saint Patrick (Patricius Irish: Naomh Pádraig) was a Roman Britain -born Christian Missionary and is the Patron saint Y Gododdin (pronounced /ə gɔ'dɔðɪn/ is a medieval Welsh poem consisting of a series of elegies to the men of the Brythonic kingdom of ^[45] Bede wrote that Saint Ninian (identified with Saint Finnian of Moville, who died c. Traditional story Ninian is first mentioned by Bede, in his Ecclesiastical History of the English People (book III chapter 4 St Finnian or St Uinniau of Moville (495 - 589 was a Christian Missionary who became a legendary figure in medieval Ireland. 589), had converted the southern Picts. ^[46] Recent archaeological work at Portmahomack places the foundation of the monastery there, an area once assumed to be among the last converted, in the late 6th century. Portmahomack ( Scottish Gaelic: Port Mo-Chalmáig) is a small fishing village in Easter Ross, Scotland. This article concerns the buildings occupied by monastics. For the life inside monasteries and its historical roots see Monasticism. ^[47] This is contemporary with Bridei mac Maelchon and Columba, but the process of establishing Christianity throughout Pictland will have extended over a much longer period. Bridei son of Maelchon, was king of the Picts until his death around 584&ndash586

Pictland was not solely influenced by Iona and Ireland. Iona is a small island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland that has an important place in the history of Christianity in Scotland and is renowned for its tranquility It also had ties to churches in Northumbria, as seen in the reign of Nechtan mac Der Ilei. Nechtan mac Der-Ilei or Nechtan mac Dargarto ( OIr Nechtan mac Der-Ilei or Nechtan mac Dargarto) (before 686&ndash732 was King of the Picts The reported expulsion of Ionan monks and clergy by Nechtan in 717 may have been related to the controversy over the dating of Easter, and the manner of tonsure, where Nechtan appears to have supported the Roman usages, but may equally have been intended to increase royal power over the church. ^[48] Nonetheless, the evidence of place names suggests a wide area of Ionan influence in Pictland. ^[49] Likewise, the Cáin Adomnáin (Law of Adomnán, Lex Innocentium) counts Nechtan's brother Bridei among its guarantors. The Cáin Adomnáin (Law of Adomnán also known as the Lex Innocentium (Law of Innocents was promulgated amongst a gathering of Irish Dál Riatan and Pictish notables at Saint Adomnán of Iona (627/8 &ndash 704 was Abbot of Iona (679-704 Hagiographer, statesman and clerical lawyer he was the author of the most Bruide mac Der-Ilei (died 706 was king of the Picts. He became king when Taran was deposed in 697

The importance of monastic centres in Pictland was not perhaps as great as in Ireland. In areas which had been studied, such as Strathspey and Perthshire, it appears that the parochial structure of the High Middle Ages existed in early medieval times. Strathspey ( Scottish Gaelic, Srath Spè) is the area around the Strath of the River Spey, Scotland, in both the Moray Perthshire ( Siorrachd Pheairt in Gaelic) officially the County of Perth, is a Registration county in central Scotland. The history of Scotland in the High Middle Ages covers Scotland in the era between the death of Domnall II in 900 AD and the death of king Alexander III Among the major religious sites of eastern Pictland were Portmahomack, Cennrígmonaid (later St Andrews), Dunkeld, Abernethy and Rosemarkie. St Andrews (Cill Rìmhinn is a Town and former Royal burgh on the east coast of Fife, Scotland. Dunkeld ( Dùn Chailleann in Scottish Gaelic) is a small town in Strathtay, Perth and Kinross, Scotland, approximately 15 Miles Abernethy ( Obar Neithich) is a village in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, situated eight Miles south-east of Perth. Rosemarkie (Ros Maircnidh (NGR) is a village on the south coast of the Black Isle peninsula in northern Scotland, a quarter of a mile east of the town of Fortrose It appears that these are associated with Pictish kings, which argues for a considerable degree of royal patronage and control of the church. ^[50]

The cult of Saints was, as throughout Christian lands, of great importance in later Pictland. While kings might patronise great Saints, such as Saint Peter in the case of Nechtan, and perhaps Saint Andrew in the case of the second Óengus mac Fergusa, many lesser Saints, some now obscure, were important. Óengus mac Fergusa (variants Onuist, Hungus or Angus) was king of the Picts (or of Fortriu) in modern Scotland, from The Pictish Saint Drostan appears to have had a wide following in the north in earlier times, although all but forgotten by the 12th century. Saint Drostan (d early 7th century) also Drustan, Dustan, and Throstan, was the founder and abbot of the monastery of Old Deer in Saint Serf of Culross was associated with Nechtan's brother Bridei. The town of Culross,pronounced "Coo-ros" ( Gaelic: Cuileann Ros) is a former Royal burgh in Fife, Scotland. ^[51] It appears, as is well known in later times, that noble kin groups had their own patron saints, and their own churches or abbeys. ^[52]

Art

Pictish Art appears on stones, metalwork and small objects of stone and bone. It has similarities to both Saxon and Irish art. Primarily Pictish art is found on the many Pictish stones that are located all over Pictland, from Inverness to Lanarkshire. Pictish stones are monumental Stelae found in Scotland, mostly north of the Clyde-Forth line An illustrated catalogue of these stones was produced by J. Romilly Allen as part of "The Early Church Monuments of Scotland", with lists of their symbols and patterns. The symbols and patterns consist of animals, the "bill", the "mirror and comb", "the spectacles" and "the crescent and V-rod". There are also bosses and lenses with pelta and spiral designs. The patterns are curvilinear with hatchings.

Pictish metalwork is found throughout Pictland and also further south. The items found in the south consist of heavy silver chains over 0. 5m long, and may have been gifts or carried off by raiders. It has been suggested by Stevenson (in Wainwright, The Problem of the Picts) that these chains formed part of "choker" necklaces.

Language

Main article: Pictish language

The Pictish language has not survived. Pictish is a term used for the Extinct language or languages thought to have been spoken by the Picts, the people of northern and central Scotland Evidence is limited to place names and to the names of people found on monuments and the contemporary records. The evidence of place-names and personal names argue strongly that the Picts spoke Insular Celtic languages related to the more southerly Brythonic languages. Toponymy refers to the scientific study of place-names ( toponyms) their origins meanings use and Typology. Onomastics or onomatology is the study of proper Names of all kinds and the origins of names The term Insular Celtic refers to those Celtic languages which originated in the British Isles, in contrast to the Continental Celtic languages of The Brythonic languages (or Brittonic languages or British languages) form one of the two branches of the Insular Celtic language family the other being ^[53] A number of inscriptions have been argued to be non-Celtic, and on this basis, it has been suggested that non-Celtic languages were also in use. ^[54]

The absence of surviving written material in Pictish does not mean a pre-literate society. The church certainly required literacy, and could not function without copyists to produce liturgical documents. Pictish iconography shows books being read, and carried, and its naturalistic style gives every reason to suppose that such images were of real life. Literacy was not widespread, but among the senior clergy, and in monasteries, it would have been common enough. ^[55]

Place-names often allow us to deduce the existence of historic Pictish settlements in Scotland. Those prefixed with "Aber-", "Lhan-", or "Pit-" indicate regions inhabited by Picts in the past (for example: Aberdeen, Lhanbryde, Pitmedden, Pittodrie etc). Aberdeen ( pronounced; Aiberdeen Obar Dheathain is Scotland 's third most populous city and one of Scotland's 32 local government council Lhanbryde ( Gaelic: Lann Brìghde) is a Village in Moray, Scotland, four miles east of Elgin. Pitmedden is a rural village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, situated midway between Ellon and Oldmeldrum, and approximately 16 miles distant from Pittodrie Stadium is a football Stadium situated in the Scottish City of Aberdeen. Some of these, such as "Pit-" (portion, share), were formed after Pictish times, and may refer to previous "shires" or "thanages". ^[56]

The evidence of place-names may also reveal the advance of Gaelic into Pictland. As noted, Atholl, meaning New Ireland, is attested in the early 8th century. For other meanings of the term Atholl see Atholl (disambiguation Atholl or Athole ( Scottish Gaelic: Athall; This may be an indication of the advance of Gaelic. Fortriu also contains place-names suggesting Gaelic settlement, or Gaelic influences. ^[57]

See also

Notes

Bibliography

Further reading

Foster (2004) is considerably revised from the 1996 edition, and offers one of the most complete introductions to the subject.

Henderson (1967) is still regarded as important. The articles in

Lynch (2001) will be useful, but this is not referenced and may be best read in conjunction with another work.

Laing & Laing (2001) provides good coverage of Pictish art, but is not well illustrated and otherwise outdated; the most thorough and by far the most up-to-date work on Pictish art is Isabel Henderson's The Art of the Picts: Sculpture and Metalwork in Early Medieval Scotland (2004).

Cummins (1999) attempts a narrative, with mixed success, and all works by Cummins should be read with caution. Smyth (1984) is widely cited, but is unlikely to be suitable reading for a beginner.

Leslie Alcock (2003) provides comprehensive coverage of Dark Age northern Britain from an archaeologist's perspective.

Marjorie Anderson (1973; 1980) provides the landmark and most authoritative guide to the historical sources of the period.

The relevant works in the new Edinburgh history of Scotland - Fraser, From Caledonia to Pictland, and Woolf, From Pictland to Alba - are expected in 2007–2008.

External links

• Glasgow University ePrints server, including Katherine Forsyth's
  • Language in Pictland (pdf) and
  • Literacy in Pictland (pdf)
• CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts at University College Cork
  • The Corpus of Electronic Texts includes the Annals of Ulster, Tigernach, the Four Masters and Innisfallen, the Chronicon Scotorum, the Lebor Bretnach, Genealogies, and various Saints' Lives. Most are translated into English, or translations are in progress
• The Pictish Chronicle
• Scotland Royalty
• The Chronicle of the Kings of Alba
• Annals of Clonmacnoise at Cornell
• Bede's Ecclesiastical History and its Continuation (pdf), at CCEL, translated by A. M. Sellar.
• Annales Cambriae (translated) at the Internet Medieval Sourcebook.
• Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland (PSAS) through 1999 (pdf). The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland is the senior Antiquarian body in Scotland, with its headquarters collections archive and lecture theatre in the Royal
• Tarbat Discovery Programme with reports on excavations at Portmahomack.
• SPNS the Scottish Place-Name Society (Comann Ainmean-Áite na h-Alba), including commentary on and extracts from Watson's The History of the Celtic Place-names of Scotland. The Scottish Place-Name Society ( Comann Ainmean-Áite na h-Alba in Gaelic) is a Learned society in Scotland concerned with Toponymy