Pictish Art of Scotland Photos

The Picts inhabited areas of Scotland roughly from the Firth of Forth up to Northeastern corner of Scotland. Picts were first recorded and named by Romans who fought Pictish warriors. Little remains to define the Picts, except for their symbols engraved on rocks from about 600 to 1000. As they became Christian, Pictish stone carvings evolved from a mix of mythical creatures, horsemen, & unknown symbols to also include Christian symbols.

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See Also:	Scotland History Scottish Artists St Vigeans Museum, Arbroath, Scotland Meigle Sculptured Stone Museum National Museum of Scotland - Ancient Scottish History Roman Scotland


Pictish cross-slab (front Droston stone) shows devils & monsters being crushed by power of cross at St Vigeans Museum. Arbroath, Scotland.	Pictish Droston stone front detail of lace of cross beside carved birds at St Vigeans Museum. Arbroath, Scotland.	Pictish Droston stone front detail of lace of cross edged by compressed camel & lion at St Vigeans Museum. Arbroath, Scotland.	Pictish cross-slab (back Droston stone) shows animals & Pictish symbols at St Vigeans Museum. Arbroath, Scotland.

Pictish cross-slab (back Droston stone) detail of hound attacking elk at St Vigeans Museum. Arbroath, Scotland.	Pictish cross-slab (back Droston stone) detail of double paddle over crescent with swirls above animal scenes at St Vigeans Museum. Arbroath, Scotland.	Pictish cross-slab (back Droston stone) detail of animals at St Vigeans Museum. Arbroath, Scotland.	Pictish cross-slab (back Droston stone) detail of hunter facing boar at St Vigeans Museum. Arbroath, Scotland.

Pictish cross-slab (front figures stone) shows swirling patters on cross flanked by Christian figures at St Vigeans Museum. Arbroath, Scotland.	Pictish cross-slab (front figures stone) detail shows Saints Antony & Paul breaking sacramental bread carried to them by a raven at St Vigeans Museum. Arbroath, Scotland.	Pictish cross-slab (front figures stone) detail shows pagan man drinking bull's blood at St Vigeans Museum. Arbroath, Scotland.	Collection of stone carvings by Picts at St Vigeans Museum. Arbroath, Scotland.

Pictish carved stone with mirror, snakes & bird at St Vigeans Museum. Arbroath, Scotland.	Pictish carved stone with saints in conversation while seated on bench at St Vigeans Museum. Arbroath, Scotland.	Roof fragment from a Pictish house-shaped shrine found recycled as building block in church wall at St Vigeans Museum. Arbroath, Scotland.	Hunting dogs chasing deer carved on Pictish story stone at St Vigeans Museum. Arbroath, Scotland.

Hunted deer carved on Pictish story stone at St Vigeans Museum. Arbroath, Scotland.	Plumed bird carved on Pictish story stone at St Vigeans Museum. Arbroath, Scotland.	Carved stag on Pictish stone at St Vigeans Museum. Arbroath, Scotland.	Pictish grave markers at St Vigeans Museum. Arbroath, Scotland.

Pictish grave marker with lion at St Vigeans Museum. Arbroath, Scotland.	Pictish grave marker with horse & rider at St Vigeans Museum. Arbroath, Scotland.	Stone with Pictish double disk & Z-rod symbol at St Vigeans Museum. Arbroath, Scotland.	Pictish carvings at Meigle Sculptured Stone Museum run by Historic Scotland (HES). Meigle, Scotland.

Pictish cross-slab (back of #2) with strips showing mounted huntsmen, warriors, Vanora execution scene (or Daniel in lion's den), centaur & beast biting ox at Meigle Sculptured Stone Museum. Meigle, Scotland.	Pictish cross-slab (back of #2) with strips showing mounted huntsmen with dogs, mounted warriors, the Vanora execution by lions scene (or Daniel in lion's den) at Meigle Sculptured Stone Museum. Meigle, Scotland.	Pictish cross-slab (back of #2) with detail of mounted warriors at Meigle Sculptured Stone Museum. Meigle, Scotland.	Pictish cross-slab (back of #2) detail with strips showing Vanora execution scene (or Daniel in lion's den), centaur, & beast biting ox head with man with club behind at Meigle Sculptured Stone Museum. Meigle, Scotland.

Pictish cross-slab (back of #2) detail showing Vanora execution scene (or Daniel in lion's den) at Meigle Sculptured Stone Museum. Meigle, Scotland.	Pictish cross-slab (front of #2) detail embossed like studded metal crosses of the era at Meigle Sculptured Stone Museum. Meigle, Scotland.	Pictish cross-slab (front of #2) detail scenes with animals at Meigle Sculptured Stone Museum. Meigle, Scotland.	Pictish cross-slab (front of #1) with complete circles at joins of the cross plus lacework of animals in oldest style of Picts at Meigle Sculptured Stone Museum. Meigle, Scotland.

Pictish cross-slab (back of #1) detail of Pictish symbols of fish, snake & other beast including camel at Meigle Sculptured Stone Museum. Meigle, Scotland.	Pictish grave stone (front of #3) with tri-lobed locking waves in centre of cross at Meigle Sculptured Stone Museum. Meigle, Scotland.	Pictish grave stone (back of #3) with rider on striped saddlecloth with sword at Meigle Sculptured Stone Museum. Meigle, Scotland.	Pictish cross-slab (front of #4) with lacey surface & entwined animals in corners at Meigle Sculptured Stone Museum. Meigle, Scotland.

Pictish cross-slab (front of #4) detail of entwined animals with beaks touching above lacey cross at Meigle Sculptured Stone Museum. Meigle, Scotland.	Pictish cross-slab (back of #4) with horseman over animals & swirled crescent at Meigle Sculptured Stone Museum. Meigle, Scotland.	Pictish cross-slab (back of #4) detail of horseman framed by knots at Meigle Sculptured Stone Museum. Meigle, Scotland.	Pictish cross-slab (back of #4) detail of swirled crescent at Meigle Sculptured Stone Museum. Meigle, Scotland.

Pictish cross-slab (front of #5) with complete circles in cross corners, lacework & animals with turned heads at Meigle Sculptured Stone Museum. Meigle, Scotland.	Pictish cross-slab (back of #6) with horseman over spiral-filled double disc & crescent & hound at Meigle Sculptured Stone Museum. Meigle, Scotland.	Pictish graveslab (#26) with pair of dancing sea-horses & bird heads beak-to-beak beneath array of bosses & coiled snakes at Meigle Sculptured Stone Museum. Meigle, Scotland.	Pictish graveslab (#26) edge detail with lion & griffin at Meigle Sculptured Stone Museum. Meigle, Scotland.

Pictish graveslab (#26) edge detail of hunting scene at Meigle Sculptured Stone Museum. Meigle, Scotland.	Pictish architectural frieze (#22) with two clawed beasts flanking half-woman / half-fish siren at Meigle Sculptured Stone Museum. Meigle, Scotland.	Pictish architectural frieze (#22) detail of half-woman / half-fish siren at Meigle Sculptured Stone Museum. Meigle, Scotland.	Pictish graveslab (front #11) with 3 riders on prancing horses followed by man with head of beast at Meigle Sculptured Stone Museum. Meigle, Scotland.

Pictish graveslab (back #11) with entwined beasts, a bear & hound, 12 bosses & 7 bosses circled by serpents at Meigle Sculptured Stone Museum. Meigle, Scotland.	Pictish graveslab (back #11) detail of 7 bosses circled by serpents at Meigle Sculptured Stone Museum. Meigle, Scotland.	Later Pictish graveslab (#12) with hound biting leg of stag beside two bulls at Meigle Sculptured Stone Museum. Meigle, Scotland.	Collection of Pictish carved stones at Meigle Sculptured Stone Museum. Meigle, Scotland.

Pictish cross-slab (#27) shows servant sitting behind master's chair at Meigle Sculptured Stone Museum. Meigle, Scotland.	Pictish tombstone (#25) with hogback pattern (late 10thC) thought to mimic Viking longhouses at Meigle Sculptured Stone Museum. Meigle, Scotland.	Pictish stone with cross at Dunblane Cathedral. Dunblane, Scotland.	Pictish stone carved with horseback rider & other Pictish symbols at Dunblane Cathedral. Dunblane, Scotland.

Pictish carved stones (c600-1000) at National Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh, Scotland.	Pictish stone carved with bird & fish (c600) at National Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh, Scotland.	Pictish stone carved with crucifixion scene (c1000) from Abernethy at National Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh, Scotland.	Pictish stone carved with Daniel in lions' den (c700-900) from Rosemarkie at National Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh, Scotland.

Pictish stone cross shaft carved with Christ, saints & David playing harp from Monifieth at National Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh, Scotland.	Pictish big stone cross carved with intertwined animals (c800-900) from Woodwray at National Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh, Scotland.	Pictish stone carved with horsemen & typical double disk symbol at National Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh, Scotland.	Pictish stone carved with intertwined animals above winged angel (c700-800) from Aberlady at National Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh, Scotland.

Galloway & Whithorn style crosses (700-1100) from Southwest of Scotland at National Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh, Scotland.	Scottish stone carving of Christian in prayer from Over Kirkhope at National Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh, Scotland.	Gallery of Pictish stones (500-900) at National Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh, Scotland.	Carved Pictish symbolic animals & men with animal heads (800-1000) from Murthly at National Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh, Scotland.

Pictish stone cross & monks with pre-Christian symbolic animal & bird-headed men pecking a human head (700-900) from Papil island at National Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh, Scotland.	Symbolic Pictish animal with coiled design elements (700-900) on Papil cross at National Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh, Scotland.	Symbolic Pictish bird-headed men pecking a human head (700-900) on Papil cross at National Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh, Scotland.	Pictish stone slab with boar inscribed with spirals from Dores at National Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh, Scotland.

Pictish stone slab inscribed with goose & fish from Easterton of Roseisle at National Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh, Scotland.	Pictish stone slab inscribed with mirror case & crescent from South Ronaldsay of Roseisle at National Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh, Scotland.	Carved stone with double-discs & crescent Pictish symbols from Fiscavaig at National Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh, Scotland.	Carved stone with double-discs & comb Pictish symbols at National Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh, Scotland.

Pictish stone inscribed with aristocratic woman leading a hunting party plus symbolic crescent, double disks, spirals & entwined animals (800-900) from Hilton of Cadboll at National Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh, Scotland.	Carved Pictish stone with drunk warrior on horse from Bullion at National Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh, Scotland.	Modern copy of Pictish carving prob. Battle of Nechtansmere in 685 AD wherein Picts expelled Angle-Saxons with original found in Aberlemno at National Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh, Scotland.	Bronze offering cauldron with Pictish design from Kincardine Moss at National Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh, Scotland.

Stone amulets or gaming pieces with Pictish symbols (400-800) mostly from Burrian at National Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh, Scotland.	Plaque with Pictish symbols (600-700) from Norrie's Law at National Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh, Scotland.	Pictish stone carved (9thC) with horseback riders in hunting scene, double disk & crescent decorated with spirals, all symbols in Pictish art, at Elgin Cathedral. Elgin, Scotland.	Pictish stone with cross at Elgin Cathedral. Elgin, Scotland.