Who are the Picts?
Pict is a Latin name for the groups of people who lived in Northern Scotland during the Roman Era and immediately after it. The Picts are noted for developing a unique art style which can still be seen in “Pictish Cross” throughout Scotland. The name ‘Pict’ (lit. ‘painted’) is derived from Roman era lore that Pictish peoples painted or tatooed themselves. Because Pictish inscriptions are difficult to decipher (even with heavy Celtic words and names), some scholars think that the Picts are actually a non-Celtic speaking population, and may have arrived before the Celts. Others feel that they are Celtic, but that they have an “archaic” culture, because they were never assimilated into the Roman Empire. A third alternative is that some “Picts” were non-Romanized Celts and others non-Celts. Determining the status of the Picts would help answer many questions about the origins of Celtic customs and lore.
