The Picts in Moray Who were the Picts? They were descendants of the native Iron Age people living from around 6 th century to 9 th century AD They were named Picts or Picti (painted people ) by the Romans Information was not recorded by their own people but by the monks in Latin (list of Pictish Kings) and in the writings of the Romans.
Further Pictish evidence found in carved stones and intricate metalwork; place names; forts and ecclesiastical sites. Where did they live? Pictish sites predominantly in the North East of Scotland Centred round Angus, Aberdeenshire, Moray and Easter Ross The Picts in Moray inland trail Pictish Site opening times Directions, distance and travelling time 8. Birnie Kirk Take B9010 to Dqllas. Just past the quarry,take the left to Birnie Kirk Elgin to Birnie 3.8 miles 13 mins Item One of the seats of the Bishopric of Moray before 1225AD Pictish Stone beside the west pillar of north entrance and four fragments belonging to type 3 Points of Interest Stone is weathered but look for incised symbols of the eagle above the rectangle with two legs,and z shaped rod.
within the church Two symbol stones very faint symbols set into wall of kirkyard at the entrance to church. 9. Knockando Kirkyard Return to Elgin and take the A941 to Rothes. After Rothes and before Craigellachie take the road right to Archiestown, Follow road to Knockando. Birnie to Knockando 16.6 miles 29 mins One is a slab of gneiss with circle with smaller concentric circle in centre and below two crescent and v shaped rod ornamented with curved lines Second slab is of diorite with a serpent at top and mirror without comb near base. Mirror has a handle of double disc pattern One has mirror -case below the eagle symbol and to the right of the eagle is the mirror and comb. The second stone has the crescent and v rod, below it the disc with two rings and cross bar ; at the bottom is the mirror and comb. Number three c.look for part of the elephant symbol. The fourth discovered in 10. Inveravon church From Knockando take the road to Carron and Aberlour. You will join the A95. Turn right until you reach Inveravon on right Knockando to Inveravon 6.3miles 14 mins Four symbol stones outside church mounted into S wall of church.
1963 is an undressed slab with crescent and v rod and beast. Type 2 symbol stone -pair of fish monsters facing each other; cross in middle round hollows in angles of cross. Below cross a beast Back of stone eagle below serpent and bull s head and at bottom man on horseback with hound. Stone in vestibule incised beast and curvilinear symbol 11. Mortlach Church Dufftown From Inveravon continue south on the B9008 to Tomintoul but turning off to Dufftown a few miles further on.b9009. Inveravon to Dufftown 12.5 miles 20mins The Battlestone stands on path in lower graveyard extension. Further stone built into vestibule of church. This is the end of your Pictish trail. From Dufftown head back for Elgin Dufftown to Elgin 17.5 miles 31 mins Round trip 56 miles What to look for? Pictish stones can roughly be divided into three categories.
Type 1 an upright undressed stone with incised geometric,animal or abstract symbols Type 2 Pictish symbols and Christian cross on dressed stone carved in relief. Type 3 mostly cross slabs with Christian design and no Pictish Symbols basically Christian monuments Forts such as Burghead and Green Castle Portknockie seat of powerful Pictish kings Placenames e.g aber - burn or rivermouth; pett or pit - piece of land. What do the symbols on the stone sculptures mean? Unique to Pictland but as yet unsolved. Suggestions of memorials to the dead,marriages or land ownership Geometric and abstract symbols such as crescent and v rod ;double disc and z rod appear frequently in incised stones Mirror and comb and flower tuning fork can be identified as everyday objects. Animal symbols are many with salmon, snake, deer, wolf, eagle bull and boar. Ogham was introduced in 7 th century by Irish monks.it is a 20 letter alphabet represented by a series of strokes on either side of a vertical line.
Why did they disappear? Pictish kingdom came to an end 9 th century Scots of Dalriada joined with Picts By AD 843 Kenneth MacAlpine became king of Scots and Picts Kingdom of Alba 11 th century Pictish language died out with acceptance of Gaelic and incursion of Norse Discover the Picts in Moray Pictish Site Opening Times Directions, distance and travelling time Item Points of interest 1.Elgin Museum April Oct 10-5 Mon-Friday, Sat 11-4 East End of Elgin Fragments of type 1 sculptured stone and fragments mainly from cross slabs from Kinneddar Burghead Bull sculptured stone from Burghead Fort.The Dandaleith Stone type 1 Incised carving of bull.six found with slight differences Dandaleith -eagle, crescent and v rod on one side second shows mirror case, notch
rectangle and z symbol St Matthew with angel and St John with eagle Back double disc and z rod and crescent and v Hunting scene 4 huntsmen,hawks stag and hound Symbols fish and crescent and v rod, triple vesica (leaves), pentacle, rectangle and step symbol. 2. Elgin Cathedral a April September Mon-Sat 9.30-5.30 short distance from the museum Upright cross slab of grey granite with crystals of feldspar type 2. Christian face and Pictish symbols back 3. Sculptors Cave Covesea Open all the time but check for tides Head for Lossiemouth and go West along the coastal road B 9012. Look for coastal footpath on the right. Park there and walk up to the former coastguard lookout. Follow the waymark sign towards Lossie and at the junction with the finger post take the track down to the shore and head westward. The Sculptors Cave has a wooden door and is almost directly below the coastguard lookout. BEWARE this is not for the fainthearted. Take a torch -6.8miles Cave contains Pictish symbols incised in the rock. Believed to have been used for sacrificial purposes. Human bones have been excavated.
15mins Return to coastal road and head for Burghead.. 5.9m 10mins 4. Burghead Promontory Fort (visitor centre )April to September 12-4 Site of largest Pictish Fort in Scotland.dating from 400AD. Parts of innermost line of citadel ramparts can be seen at Doorie Hill Visitor centre contains many interesting Pictish artefacts. Look for Bull like the one in Elgin Museum. Part of cross slab Consider this might also have been a water shrine or a drowning pool a favourite means of killing the enemy. 5.Burghead Well Key for entry from the Visitor centre 12-3.30 or outwith these times from the Bothy Bistro 9-4.30 6. Rodney Stone- Brodie Castle Stone sits on the left of the castle drive no need to enter castle. 7.Suenos Stone Forres Enclosed in glass Follow signs heading south from the Fort centre-only a short walk. This was the water source for the fort. A rock cut well with a flight of steps leading down to a tank fed by natural springs From Burghead take signs for Forres and join the A96 Head West by-passing Forres and continue until you reach the sign for Brodie Castle on your right 14.3miles 30mins From Brodie return East on the A96 towards Forres. At the Findhorn/ Elgin /Forres Type 2 sculptured grey sandstone upright cross lab. Only one in Moray with OGHAM inscriptions Look for the ogham lines at side of stone. Fish monsters with tails and the mysterious elephant symbol. Take time to study all the intricate carvings. -The headless Type 3 red sandstone. No Pictish symbols but Battle scene. The tallest Pictish stone
case but open for viewing at all times. roundabout on the bypass,turn right and follow signs for Suenos Stone 5.8 miles 14 mins in Scotland. Interpretation of its origins are varied. Battle between Picts and Scots or perhaps the Vikings? corpses in battle. The weapons and helmet designs If you are still eager to find out more about the Picts,then head back to Elgin and continue your search Forres to Elgin 11.8 miles 20mins Round trip 45 miles