A new illustrated children's book is challenging traditional perceptions of Scotland's ancient past by depicting the Pictish tribes as a multicultural society that included black individuals.
Reimagining Scotland's Ancient People
Carved in Stone: A Storyteller's Guide to the Picts presents an illustrated history of the tribes who inhabited eastern and northern Scotland between approximately 270 and 900 AD. Designed for readers aged 14 and above, the book features cartoon-style illustrations showing black Pictish villagers alongside monks, bishops, and religious healers.
The project received partial funding from the taxpayer-supported Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, and the creative team is reportedly exploring options to distribute the book free of charge to schools and libraries across the country.
A Modern Take on Historical Research
Originally conceived four years ago as a Pictish-themed role-playing game, the project evolved into a comprehensive historical work. In a promotional video, the creative team emphasised their commitment to diversity, stating they were "proud to bring together some of Scotland's leading archaeologists, with a host of queer, marginalised and disabled voices to dispel misconceptions of the past."
According to heritage organisation Dig It, which partnered on the project, Carved in Stone was specifically designed to present the latest archaeological research about the Picts in a more accessible and engaging way. The organisation's website states the book highlights that "the Picts were like any human society: complicated" and describes them as internationally connected artists who accommodated disabled community members.
The book also challenges the long-held belief that Picts were extensively tattooed. While the Romans named them Picti, meaning 'painted people', the authors argue that evidence for tattooing is inconclusive, noting that although blue pigments were available, they were likely unsafe for human use.
Broader Context of Historical Representation
This reimagining of the Picts follows similar recent efforts to diversify historical representation. The Church of England recently published Heroes of Hope, a children's book that depicts St Augustine as a black man.
St Augustine, born in 354 AD in what is now Algeria, served as bishop of Hippo in North Africa. While most historical depictions show him as white, the new book aims to highlight "Black and brown saints, often erased and whitewashed from history".
This approach has drawn both support and criticism, with Villanova University officials suggesting that depicting St Augustine as black "actively decentres whiteness".
Genetic research published in 2023 indicates the Picts descended from Iron Age populations long established in Britain, with their kingdom centred in present-day Moray and Aberdeenshire, stretching to the Firth of Forth and from the Isle of Skye to Shetland.
