Pictish Art
The following books, societies, web sites, craft workers and artists were recommended for information on Pictish and wider Celtic art and design.
Introduction and recent text
A booklet giving a short, general introduction to the people and their art: The Picts (2010) available from Historic Environment Scotland.
Knowledge of the Picts is advancing through archaeological excavations and study of the stones. The following gives scholarly in-depth examination of the rise of the Pictish kingdoms during and after the Roman occupation.
Noble G, Evans N (2022) Picts – Scourge of Rome – Rulers of the North. Berlinn, Edinburgh (336 pages).
Standard books & treatises on symbols and art
Allen JR, Anderson J (1903) Early Christian Monuments of Scotland. Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. Republished 1993 by the Pinkfoot Press, Angus, Scotland.
Henderson G, Henderson I (2004) The art of the Picts – sculpture and metalwork in Early Medieval Scotland. Paperback edition, 2011. Thames and Hudson, London. Concentrates on Pictish rather than the broader Celtic art; includes many photographs of the carved stones.
Bain, G (1951) Celtic Art – Methods of Construction. William Maclellan, Glasgow, and later paperback editions. A standard for celtic-pictish artists. He was a school teacher for much of his life and managed to understand and explain the intricacies better than anyone before. An essential base for detailed study.
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Replica of the Hilton of Cadboll Stone carved by sculptor Barry Grove, in place at the Seaboard Villages, Tarbat peninsular, inset showing detail. The original carved stone was art of global significance, but defaced in 1676 for trivial purpose, the remains kept in the National Museums, Edinburgh. See below for more on Barry Grove via ARCH.
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Tetlow, A. (2013) Celtic Pattern – Visual Rhythms of the Ancient Mind, Published by Wooden Books (cost £5.99). Deals in detail with construction across european Celtic cultures.
And two books by Marianna Lines who did so much to bring Pictish Art to wider attention: Sacred Stones, Sacred Places (1992), St Andrew Press; and The Traveller’s Guide to Sacred Scotland (2014) Gothic Image Publications.

The Shandwick Stone, protected in glass and metal casing, sits on the Tarbat peninsular overlooking the North Sea. The image above shows a reproduction on dyed fabric by artist Marianna Lines of the design carved into the lower part of the reverse side of the Stone. Her reproduction of the complete reverse side is held in the Groam House Museum, Rosemarkie. A wall plaque states the work was constructed in the 1980s using turmeric, red ochre, flower petals, vegetable dyes and beeswax crayons. Photograph by curvedflatlands.
Societies | web sites | art and craft
Pictish Symbols – art and context : Facebook group very active and knowledgeable in interpreting Pictish Art.
Pictish Arts Society – membership open to anyone with interests in Pictish art and design: Web site.
Northern Picts. Aberdeen University group active in current archaeology: Web site and Facebook.
Monkie Rock Art – Dave McGovern’s stone sculpture: Web site and Facebook page.
ARCH Highland: for general archaeology with emphasis on community, practical experience and teaching in the broader Highland region: Web site. For the amazing story behind Barry Grove’s carved replica of the Hilton of Cadboll stone (ca 800 AD): Carving Pictish stones 1 by Susan Kruse (2018), Carving Pictish Stones 2 by Davine Sutherland (2018) and Hilton of Cadboll Pictish Cross Slab (2021).
Highland Pictish Trail. For example, see the page on the Shandwick Stone.
The Canmore web site (National Record of the Historic Environment): sometimes difficult to find your way around, but has a lot of information – e.g. search for a specific stone.
Thanks to Kathryn Owen for suggesting the above list of books, societies, web links and Fb groups. More from her on the Living Field web at Pictish Beasts.

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Ps 1. While little of about the Picts has come down to us in writing Lorna Dawson gave this link to DNA living on: www.livescience.com.
Ps 2. Strangely, the myth that the Pict’s painted their bodies also lives on. They maybe coloured the stones but let’s forget this notion of painted savages (Ed.)