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Picts

Scourge of Rome, Rulers of the North
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Brief Description
Picts was shortlisted for the EAA Book Prize and the Current Archaeology Book of the Year Award. The Picts have fascinated historians and enthusiasts for centuries. Emerging around AD 300, they defied the might of the Roman Empire, only to disappear at the end of the... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
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This is an introduction to the Picts, for the general reader and historian alike, by leading experts. Based on evidence from recent excavations of major Pictish sites, as well as the latest historical research, this book offers a new viewpoint on a critical but little-known era of Scotland's history.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Picts was shortlisted for the EAA Book Prize and the Current Archaeology Book of the Year Award.

The Picts have fascinated historians and enthusiasts for centuries. Emerging around AD 300, they defied the might of the Roman Empire, only to disappear at the end of the first millennium AD. Yet, they left behind significant legacies, including laying the foundations for the medieval Scottish kingdom. Their captivating carved stones are some of the most eye-catching yet enigmatic monuments in Europe.

Until recently, the Picts were difficult to trace due to limited archaeological investigation and documentary sources. However, innovative new research has provided critical new insights into the culture of this highly sophisticated society that not only defied the Roman Empire but also forged a powerful realm dominating much of northern Britain.

Picts is the first dedicated book that covers in detail both their archaeology and their history. It examines their kingdoms, culture, beliefs, and everyday lives from their origins to their end. The book not only incorporates current thinking on the subject but also offers innovative perspectives that transform our understanding of the early history of Scotland.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780859767323

Publisher: John Donald Publishers Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 01 May 2025

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: John Donald Publishers Ltd

Illustration: b/w throughout, 12pp colour plates

Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 25.0mm

Width: 189.0mm

Height: 246.0mm

Weight: 659g

Pages: 352

About the Author

Gordon Noble is Professor in Archaeology at the University of Aberdeen and has undertaken award-winning landscape research and field projects, working on projects from the Mesolithic to Medieval periods. He is author of Neolithic Scotland: Timber, Stone, Earth and Fire (Edinburgh University Press 2006), Woodland in the Neolithic of Northern Europe: The Forest As Ancestor (Cambridge University Press 2017) and co-author of King in the North: The Pictish Realms of Fortriu and Ce (Birlinn 2019). He works on two current major projects: Northern Picts and Comparative Kingship, the research for which won the Current Archaeology Research Project of the Year 2021, a highly prestigious accolade. His research has featured on BBC 2 Digging for Britain, BBC Radio 4 In Our Time and many other media outlets.

Nicholas Evans is a Research Fellow on the Leverhulme Trust funded Comparative Kingship: the Early Medieval Kingdoms of Northern Britain and Ireland project at the University of Aberdeen. He is a historian whose research and teaching have focussed on the medieval Celtic-speaking societies of Britain and Ireland. He is the author of The Present and the Past in Medieval Irish Chronicles (Boydell Press, 2010), A Historical Introduction to the Northern Picts (Aberdeen University/Tarbat Discovery Centre, 2014) and co-author of King in the North: The Pictish Realms of Fortriu and Ce (Birlinn 2019).

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