Picts

[Gor]

I'm looking for any and all information on the Picts. If anyone knows of a site or a place that I can get this Info I would greatly appreciate it. And thanks in advance.

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Gor
The One and Only

[The_Kilted_Erse]

Originally posted by Gor:
I'm looking for any and all information on the Picts. If anyone knows of a site or a place that I can get this Info I would greatly appreciate it. And thanks in advance.

Try here...
http://www.netmedia.co.uk/history/week-7/index.html

or
http://www.netmedia.co.uk/history/future.html

[Gor]

Thanks K.E., I sure will

Gor

[The_Kilted_Erse]

Here is some more info I came across Gor...

http://www.tartans.com/articles/pictcivilization.html

Those familiar with the Celts divide them up into three categories: the Scottish, the Irish, and the Welsh. However, for a long time there was another group called the Picts who were, for centuries, the most powerful inhabitants of the British Isles. Today however, much about them remains a mystery, with hardly any record of them after the mid-9th century AD.
Pictland, as the Pictish homeland was called, was made up of a large area of what is now modern day Scotland, mainly in the low-lying coastal areas of Eastern Scotland where they sustained themselves through fishing and farming. The Picts weren't any one particular race or culture per se, but a military alliance which was formed around 100 AD to defend against the Roman invaders. The name Pict itself is believed to be derived from the Latin word Picti, "the painted men". In fact, the Pictish nation out-lasted the would-be conquerors and predated the formal organization of both the Scots and Irish. Historical and archaeological records also show that they were also quite fierce warriors, judging by accounts of those (like the Scots and the Irish) whom they defeated in battle. They were the dominant military power in that area for almost 500 years.

The language which they spoke is believed to have been similar to the modern day Welsh language, fitting into a category which linguists call the "P-Celtic" languages, while modern Gaelic and Irish are considered "Q-Celtic". Not much is actually known about their dialect because the Picts didn't keep written records, but even today many Pictish place names still exist in Scotland.

Almost all of what is now known about them is from accounts of others and the few artifacts the Picts themselves left behind. Chief among these were ornate carved stones which represent some of the high points of Celtic art. There are inscriptions on the stones written in an alphabet called Ogham, variations of which were also used by the Scots and Irish. Although the inscriptions of their Celtic counterparts have been translated, there has yet to be any successful translation of the Pictish Ogham.

Despite their lack of written records, the Picts were quite advanced culturally and artistically. Between the 5th and 7th centuries AD most of them were converted to Christianity and this was reflected in the sculptures of the period. Their art retained most of its traditional elements, but they also began to add crosses and other Christian symbolism.

The Picts shared much in common with their fellow Celts, such as geography, similar language, and similar art, among other things. There were some differences however, the main one being that descent for the Picts was defined in terms of the mother rather than the father ie. matrilineal rather than patrilineal. Historical records suggest that this is what led to their disappearance, or rather their assimilation by the Scots. Because of the way in which Picts handled descent, the Scots were able to gradually absorb them through marriage. After some time, it is believed, all distinction between them had become so blurred that they were essentially indistinguishable.

Although it is generally accepted by historians and archaeologists that the Picts merged with the Scots, exact details aren't known. And with the exception of second hand accounts, there is almost no information about the Picts themselves. Because of their unique social and historical characteristics, the Picts have continued to be one of history's most intriguing mysteries.


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http://www.tartans.com/articles/pictdecline.html

The Decline of the Pictish Kingdom of Caledonia
The mysterious Kingdom of the Picts has captivated our imagination since these wildly painted, tattooed peoples were first encountered by Roman invaders in the first century AD.

What the Picts called their country before first contact is unknown, but the Pictish people are probably best represented by the title Cruithni, a name given by the Irish and generally applied to all tribes in the area. In history, however, these people are better known by the name the Romans gave the country of the feared tribes, Caledonia, and the Caledonian people themselves as the Pictii or 'painted ones' - in reference to their blue body paint.

Around the later part of the first century, a loose confederation of the seven tribes that lived in what we now call Scotland appeared on the scene. This confederation was created to fight the invading Roman Legions in northern Brittani or Britain.

The Picts used a matrilineal system to choose their rulers and by the time Rome left Britain in the 4th Century AD the bloodlines of the seven tribes were deeply entwined, leaving the Kingdom intact.

That next threat came from the Scots of the Irish Kingdom of Dalriada. During the Roman occupation of Britain, the Scots Dal Riada tribe had managed to create a new territory in the Caledonian lands. While the Scots' assistance in fighting the Romans was appreciated, with that enemy threat gone the Scots of Dalriada and the Picts of Caledonia were competing with each other for power and territory.

It also appears that the country of Caledonia divided at some time into two major portions, being separated into a northern and southern Kingdom. These Kingdoms remained relatively peaceful except on the subject of religion. In approximately the eighth century warfare broke out between the Kingdoms when the southern half switched to the Roman Catholic Church from the Celtic Church of St. Columba.

Caledonia fought with Dalriada on numerous occasions from approximately 300 AD to 840 AD with the Picts usually retaining the upper hand. In fact, the Picts frequently ruled Dalriada after conquering it in war.

It was on one of these occasions in 739 AD when Oengus (Angus) Mac (Son of) Fergus laid waste to the Scottish capital of Dunnadd and then proceeded to Ireland where he won two large battles in 741 AD. At this time the Picts were in control of all of Dalriada including the portions in Ireland. The Scots slowly rebuilt and regained their independence in 768 AD under Aed Find the White.

About 20 years later the countries were combined again, this time through marriage and the mixture of bloodlines and/or warfare. This combined reign lasted from Constantine in approximately 790 AD, through the reigns of Oengus (Angus) II, Drust VIII, and finally Eogan Mac Angus till 839.

Eogan Mac Angus is found in the lists of kings under many names. As a king of Dalriada he is listed as Eoganan, as a king of Picts he is shown as Eogan, and in other places he is shown as Eoghann or as Uven. However he is called, the time period is the same and he is identified as the King of Picts and Scots from 837-839 AD. His reign was powerful and short, as is the rule of most kings who are expected to fight and lead men in battle.

Sometime around 834 AD another new threat to the country appeared when the Vikings started to plunder the coastline of Caledonia and neighbouring countries. In the meantime, Alpin Mac Eochaid became King of Scots and led a revolt against the Picts. The Picts were squeezed between a northern army of Viking invaders and a southern Scottish revolt. Battle was given to the Scots and the Picts were the victors. The Scottish King, Alpin Mac Eochaid was killed, but it was a hollow victory for the Picts, as whoever won had to face the Viking invaders. The battle against the Vikings was a large one, and particularly devastating to the Picts. Countless numbers of the ruling and warrior class died, including Eogan the King and his brother the heir to the throne.

Caledonia itself remained very weak from its battles with Vikings and Scots and suffered through several quick successions of Kings. From Eogan's death in 839, five more kings ruled Caledonia until 847, the last being Drust IX.

The Scots also had a claimant to the throne, for when Alpin Mac Eochaid died, his son Ciniod aka Kenneth Mac Alpin (Kenneth I), became King of Scots and rightfully laid claim to the throne of Caledonia through the bloodlines of his mother or his wife. It is here that the story comes down of 'MacAlpins Treason', - the story of the end of the Pictish line of Caledonia.

Kenneth held a great banquet at Scone and invited all remaining Pictish nobility to discuss his claim to the throne. It is said that after much eating and revelry, the drunken nobles were ambushed and killed by Kenneth and his troops. This eliminated all remaining competition and allowed Kenneth to take the throne of Caledonia. Out of Kenneth's deceit, the country of Alba was created.

Although the Picts fought Kenneth for several more years, their struggles were of little consequence. They were small in number and could not pose any serious threat. As a result, the old country of the Picts - Caledonia - succumbed to the Vikings and Scots. The remainder of the Pictish people simply disappeared from history.

[draven]

I'm new and was reading the thread. I think its neat to see someone else interedted in the picts. My Junior research paper in high school was on the picts and it was hard to find enough information on them for a 15 page paper but it was fun.

[Faanarmy]

In ancients Albion, which was the Kingdom of the whole of the British Isles, prior to the Roman invasions the Romans would tell you that there were many different races. Actually there were not many different races but many different names for the same race by foreign people from elsewhere in the world.The problem is not a matter of many different races but a matter of different languages and names for the same race of people from different original sources. Different languages in other words!

* The word Pict is in the Roman Latin language. It means the painted warrior in the language of the Roman Imperial Guard of Ceasar.

* The word Celt comes from the pre-historic word "Keltoi". It is in the language that is pre-historic ancient Greek and means the "hidden ones".

* The word "Gael" is of Meditteranean origin and applies to all Picts, and Celts, who migrated away from the Middle East to terrains further west.

* The phrase "Indo-European" is in the language called modern English . It applies to all Celts and Picts throughout Europe together with Indo-European ethnic groups in the Near East, Middle East, Far East and Asia.It describes groups of brown skinned berbers and fairer skinned arabs in their entirety.

The words berber/arab describe who the Indo-European, Picts, Celts and Gaels were. Every single one is the same race. They were brown skinned people who went on to become white skinned due to interbreeding with western,and original East, inhabitants.

[SherbrookeJacobite]

Originally posted by Faanarmy

* The phrase "Indo-European" is in the language called modern English . It applies to all Celts and Picts throughout Europe together with Indo-European ethnic groups in the Near East, Middle East, Far East and Asia.It describes groups of brown skinned berbers and fairer skinned arabs in their entirety.

The words berber/arab describe who the Indo-European, Picts, Celts and Gaels were. Every single one is the same race. They were brown skinned people who went on to become white skinned due to interbreeding with western,and original East, inhabitants.

If you are confident of this, why don't you get your DNA tested - they can prove, or disprove such theories.
http://www.familytreedna.com/