The Picts is a survey of the historical and cultural
developments in northern Britain between AD 300 and AD 900.
Discarding the popular view of the Picts as savages, they are
revealed to have been politically successful and culturally
adaptive members of the medieval European world.



* Re-interprets our definition of 'Pict' and provides
a vivid depiction of their political and military organization

* Offers an up-to-date overview of Pictish life within the
environment of northern Britain

* Explains how art such as the 'symbol stones' are
historical records as well as evidence of creative
inspiration.

* Draws on a range of transnational and comparative scholarship
to place the Picts in their European context

Benjamin Hudson's books include Irish Sea Studies (2006), and Viking Pirates and Christian Princes (2005).

The name Pict ('Picture People') was coined during the later Roman Empire to describe the Britons living north of Hadrian's Wall. The Romans knew little about these northern people, which began their fame as the mystery folk beyond the Wall. But who were these shadowy, enigmatic figures depicted by classical authorities as 'savages'?

The Picts unlocks many of the mysteries long associated with their history by placing them within a European context. Contrary to popular tradition, the Picts were culturally sophisticated while politically and militarily divided into individual kingdoms such as Atholl and Fife. The variety of their daily life and religious orientation is narrated in literature and illustrated on monumental works of sculpture known as the 'symbol stones'. Archaeological excavations reveal the material remains of Pictish society as the environmental diversity of the land is reflected in place names, artefacts, and habitation sites. Infused with scholarly rigor, The Picts offers dramatic new insights into these mysterious inhabitants of ancient Britain, their complex culture, and enduring appeal.

The Picts is a survey of the historical and cultural developments in northern Britain between AD 300 and AD 900. Discarding the popular view of the Picts as savages, they are revealed to have been politically successful and culturally adaptive members of the medieval European world.

• Re-interprets our definition of 'Pict' and provides a vivid depiction of their political and military organization
• Offers an up-to-date overview of Pictish life within the environment of northern Britain
• Explains how art such as the 'symbol stones' are historical records as well as evidence of creative inspiration.
• Draws on a range of transnational and comparative scholarship to place the Picts in their European context

List of Figures and Tables vi

List of Lineages and Maps vii

Preface and Acknowledgments viii

Methodology x

Abbreviations xii

Introducing the Picts 1

1 Picts and Romans 15

2 Myth and Reality 40

3 The Early Middle Ages 57

4 People and Work 95

5 Spirituality 134

6 Art 162

7 Conquest and Obscurity 182

8 Literature and Remembrance 207

Conclusion 233

Select Bibliography 240

Index 255