The Symbolism Of The Pictish Stones In Scotland

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The symbol stones of the Picts remain one of Scotland's greatest archaeological enigmas. First appearing on record in the third century AD, the kingdoms of the Picts stretched from Shetland to the Forth. In the eighth century the Picts were absorbed into the kingdom of Alba, the core of what was to become the medieval kingdom of Scotland.The Picts are best known today for the wealth of highly accomplished stone sculpture that they left behind. Among these are many that bear a distinctive group of symbols, some apparently abstract and decorated with the geometrical motifs of Celtic art, others beautifully naturalistic. There have been many attempts to decipher the significance of the symbols, but their meaning remains obscure.Brought up to date with recent discoveries and a new introduction, The Pictish Symbol Stones of Scotland draws together all the known symbol-bearing stones and artefacts, providing succinct descriptions and suggestions for further reading. Fully illustrated, with modern and antiquarian photographs as well as detailed scale drawings, Pictish Symbol Stones provides the definitive resource for anyone, academic or amateur, with an interest in Pictish sculpture.

Stuart McHardy examines the Pictish symbols which have been discovered on various items across Scotland. The book sets out a cohesive interpretation of the Pictish past, using a variety of both temporal and geographical sources. This interpretation serves as a backdrop for his analysis of the symbols themselves, providing a context for his suggestion that there was an underlying series of ideas and beliefs behind the creation of the symbols.