Shortlisted for the EAA Book Prize 2023 The Picts have fascinated for centuries. They emerged c. ad 300 to defy the might of the Roman empire only to disappear at the end of the first millennium ad, yet they left major legacies. They laid the foundations for the medieval Scottish kingdom and their captivating carved stones are some of the most eye-catching yet enigmatic monuments in Europe. Until recently the Picts have been difficult to trace due to limited archaeological investigation and documentary sources, but innovative new research has produced critical new insights into the culture of a highly sophisticated society which defied the might of the Roman Empire and forged a powerful realm dominating much of northern Britain. This is the first dedicated book on the Picts 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, not only incorporating current thinking on the subject, but also offering innovative perspectives that transform our understanding of the early history of Scotland.
The Quest series from Luath Press continues with the quest for all things Celtic, an investigation into aspects of Celtic history that have previously been neglected or lost. The authors argue strongly that the evidence they have uncovered within folklore, legends, the guilds, and the oral traditions of secret societies in Scotland, link together with striking similarities. They further suggest that these links are not coincidence but the last visible threads of belief systems that have been at the center of the Scottish psyche for centuries. The Celtic Key makes sense of the underlying beliefs that have contributed to, motivated, and shaped a nation through the ages. REVIEWS A fascinating journey through the mystery and magic of Scotland's past...the authors describe the people, places and traditions -- Watkins Review, London, Winter 2002, Issue no. 4A refreshing look at Scotland's past...we are presented with such a wealth of information; well worth reading -- Dalriada, journal of Celtic heritage, Scotland, 2003A spellbinding step into the...world of ancient Caledonia and the people who laid the foundations of Scotland -- West Lothian Courier newspaper, 27 June 2002An enthralling and informative journey through time which deserves a place on every Scottish bookshelf...their sources are well documented -- Scots magazine, Vol 158 No.2, 2003Without resorting to colourful conjecture...it nevertheless adds its own voice to the enduring mysteries of Scotland's Celtic heritage -- Historic Scotland magazine, Winter 2002-3 issue
This publication is the culmination of an extended programme of conferences that have sought to mark the contribution of F. T. Wainwright to Pictish studies and, in particular, the 50th anniversary of The Problem of the Picts. The book is firmly in the tradition of interdisciplinary scholarship Wainwright did so much to promote and brings together much fresh thinking on the archaeological, art-historical, place name and historical understanding of Northern Britain in the second half of the first millennium AD. Within a wider, European framework it addresses questions of landscape, material culture and mentalities, revealing some of the different strategies by which the Picts made their world. All the studies are accessibly presented to serve the interests of students, teachers and anyone interested in the roots of European civilisation. Contributors are Barbara E. Crawford, Nicholas Evans, Iain Fraser, James Fraser, Meggen Gondek, Stratford Halliday, Andrew Heald, Kellie Meyer, Gordon Noble, Robert D. Stevick, Simon Taylor and Sarah Winlow.
This index identifies some 1,000 female characters who appear in novels, short stories, and plays about the American South. All of the major and some of the minor characters created by the most distinguished Southern writers are included. (Authors who wrote about the South but who were not born or raised there are excluded.) All characters are listed alphabetically, followed by a short description of their character traits and/or role. This is followed by the work(s) of literature in which the character appears and the author's name. Sweeney's introduction includes an explanation of the scope, organization, and rationale of the work. Also covered are the depictions of women by Southern writers, including stereotypical patterns, racial differences, regional diversity, and developmental progress or changes in portraiture. Following the index is an appendix listing fifteen categories of Southern female characters. The labels for these categories are drawn from the literature itself. Author and title indexes conclude the work.