Pictish

Many independent Celtic tribes north of the Forth and Clyde rivers and as far as Shetland amalgamated into two large groups or kingdoms called the Caledonii and the Maeatae around AD 79 due to the Romans having invaded Scotland under the command of Agricola.

The Romans considered these people to be barbarians – and indeed powerful enemies - and named them Picts as they painted or tattooed their bodies.            

The Picts, as we now know them, lived in hillforts and farmsteads. They were farmers, horse-breeders, fishermen, craftspeople, warriors and hunting people largely based in the north and east of the country and who the Romans never managed to defeat, which is probably why there are still so many carved stones and metalwork produced by them. 

Pictish kingships were first recorded in the sixth century and conversion to Christianity occurred by the end of that century. By the ninth century the Picts had merged with the Scots from the west (Dal Raida) to form Alba (Scotland) and historical records state that a monastic scribe, Thana, lived in the villa at Migdele (Meigle) under Pictish King Ferat (Uurad) who reigned between AD839 and 842, suggesting that Meigle enjoyed royal patronage. 

Meigle was in the area known as Circin which covered Strathmore, Gowrie and the Mearns. Many local place names such as Aber, Burn, Cuper, Mig, Pan, Pert, Pit and Carden are indicative of Pictish ancestry.

In the absence of significant historical documents, our understanding of Pictish beliefs and ways of life are largely based on Pictish art and stone carving. Few Pictish burial sites have been found locally but the cemetery at Bankhead of Kinloch provides a good example of round, square and conjoined barrow graves. 

The Pictish presence in Meigle is evident in the collection of 26 surviving Pictish carved stones dating from the eighth to tenth centuries found near the church grounds and now in the Meigle Museum. The collection points to Meigle being an important Pictish centre, possibly even a school of sculpture. 

The most famous stone at Meigle stands in the middle of the museum and is a large stone almost 2.5 metres from its stone base. It depicts a Celtic cross along with grotesque animals on one side and mounted huntsmen with their dogs as well as mounted warriors at the top of the other side. The centre of this side shows what is now believed to be Daniel in the lion’s den but has long been associated with Queen Vanora (or Guinevere) whom local legend says was held on nearby Barry Hill before being cast to the lions, or dogs, and torn to death and is said to be buried in Meigle kirkyard. At the foot of the stone we can see a centaur - half-horse half-man - holding axes in both hands and a leafy branch under his arm. 

The stones depict many biblical images but also secular representations such as hunting scenes, consistent with the presence of an elite residence, thereby illustrating that the Picts were not the barbarians the Romans claimed they were but were instead a sophisticated society whose carvings portray horses, dogs, bulls, deer and fish along with mythical animals. 

The stones are all carved from local red sandstone and demonstrate a range of pre-Christian symbols, animals and warriors. In Meigle these are combined with Christian crosses (cross slab stones) with intricate interlace carvings – reflecting that although the Picts became Christian they did not give up their old beliefs.  

There are also some rare architectural fragments, possibly derived from an early church, recumbent gravestones, and a tenth century ‘hogback’ stone. Each stone has a set of richly decorated carvings with some spectacular displays of mythical beast including a griffin, a man-eating manticore and horned beasts.    

The museum is managed by Historic Environment Scotland, for more information see www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/meigle-sculptured-stone-museum/