The Picts in the Heartland of Perthshire & Angus

Summary

Investigating the heritage of the ‘painted people’

Picts were long considered to be a mysterious lost people from a very dark age, to the extent that entirely erroneous origin myths were created for them in recent centuries. This tour will explore how, even though they left behind no surviving documents, the Picts helped lay the foundation of modern Scotland. We can now have rewarding explorations of Pictland, with new historical and archaeological breakthroughs, revolutionising our understanding of the Picts and their kingdoms, from the time of the Romans until the disappearance of their distinctive culture by 900AD within the unified Gaelic kingdom of Alba. This tour will focus on the rich southern heartland of Perthshire and Angus. The Picts occupied much of Scotland; native peoples described by Roman authors as the ‘painted (tattooed) ones’. The primary source of evidence they have left behind is found in their remarkable stone sculpture, some of the finest artistic creations of the early medieval period in Europe.

Tour highlights:

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• View the unique collections of Pictish artefacts in the National Museum of Scotland
• Scrutinise the battle scene depicted on the Aberlemno battle stone, the most detailed of early medieval warfare in Europe
• Learn more about Pictish stone carving styles and techniques from a master craftsman