O'er moorland and brae: All things Pictish

It is believed that the Pictish tribes came west across Europe from the Near East, but as the Gauls and other barbarians took hold of Europe the Picts anchored themselves in the north and central reaches of Scotland for hundreds of years. They were successful in holding back the Romans. In fact the Romans after many sorties into Pictland finally called a halt to conquering the Picts and built Hadrian's wall to mark the northern boundary of their vast empire, touching as it did onto the land of the Painted People, the Picts.

The Picts were quite a sophisticated people. They lived in round houses with thatched roofs, cooked over open fires, and prized their families above all else. Females were especially honoured. Picts were hunters and harvesters, boat builders and fisherman, and the world frequently came to their shores, so they learned new ideas at home, and from abroad. They spoke, it is believed, a form of Celtic language that was also spoken by the Scots and the Irish: different from the Celt spoken by the Welsh, the Cornish and the Bretons.

The Pictish tribes gradually aligned as forces from abroad pushed at them. Their leaders came to be kings and Pictish strongholds were built in strategic places to hold back invasive forces. At first they were pagans, but Christianity came via St Columba, from Ireland, who set up his mission on the island of Iona in the 6th century, and St Ninian, who came up from Whithorn, in the south. When Columba converted King Bridei to Christianity in 865AD at his fort in Inverness it was only a matter of time before the Picts started to build their own churches.

But these have all gone, as have most Pictish records. But what remains are their gorgeous carved stones. These beautiful pieces, almost works of art in most instances, are set up all over the north and middle of Scotland. Less so, in the west where the Scots prevailed. The 'Scotties' as they came to be called were originally from Ireland, but over time, even they developed allegiances and married into the Picts, so that by the time the Vikings came and wrought havoc throughout Scotland, the Picts and the Scots were almost one.

Scots King Kenneth mac Alpin finally was able to strongly unite the kingdoms of the Scots and the Picts around 848, and by 900 a new nation, Alba: the new Scotland, was born.

With Pictish blood in their bones.

And Pictish art on their ceremonial stones: a reconstruction of which shows their music in this beautiful triangular Pictish harp used to pass on song and stories to their young.

Or the drums: enriched with leather and beautifully strung. Not only a practical musical instrument but a beautiful one.

And from their burials some of the most amazing finds: a thick rich silver chain necklace. Ten have been found like this: high-status finds, probably belonging to royalty. This one is solid silver and weighs nearly 2kgs. It is an extraordinary piece in any era.

Or this beautiful Pictish broach found on the Shetlands. A pin for a cloak, with a dragon's head decorating the ends of the piece, baring its teeth.

What a time it must have been in Scotland's history when the Pict's were in full colour and array.