Who were the Picts and where did they go?

Question: Who were the Picts and where did they go!?
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

I used to have a Scottish friend from Oban when I was in the Army many moons ago, who would sometimes refer to one of his fellow countrymen as a "hairy wee Pict"! On being questioned, he would elaborate and tell me that apart from being small, slight of build and hairy, Picts were also dark of skin!.

As far as I recollect from my pal, (who was himself a tall, fair MacFarlane from the West Coast), the Picts inhabited and dominated Caledonia, prior to the Scottish invasions from Ireland- which occurred around 500AD!. The Picts were particularly strong in east and central Scotland!.

Thus, the Picts were the dominant people of what was then called Caledonia, when the Romans held Britain, between 43AD and 410AD!. They were notably fierce warriors and were normally heavily tattooed according to legend!.

The Picts had no written language, and thus we have no records of their history- except that written by their enemies and various outsiders!. Progressively over the centuries, the Picts disappeared from Scottish history- largely through intermarriage with incoming Scots; references to them have largely disappeared by the end of the Viking invasions!.

Their history is therefore particularly elusive, and is only known where it impacted on others, like the Scots!. Thus, the Picts didn't go anywhere, but have left their mark on the present Scottish popoulation- if you know what you are looking for- like my MacFarlane friend from Oban!Www@QuestionHome@Com

Pict
Encyclop?dia Britannica Article

(possibly from Latin picti, “painted”), one of an ancient people who lived in what is now eastern and northeastern Scotland, from Caithness to Fife!. Their name may refer to their custom of body painting or possibly tattooing!.

The origin of the Picts is uncertain; some evidence suggests that they were descendants of pre-Celtic aborigines, but some linguistic evidence suggests they spoke a Celtic language!. The Picts were first noticed in AD 297, when a Roman writer spoke of the “Picts and Irish [Scots] attacking” Hadrian's Wall!. Their warfare with the Romans during the occupation was almost continual!. By the 7th century there was a united “Pict-land,” which already had been penetrated by Christianity!. In 843, Kenneth I MacAlpin, king of the Scots (centred in Argyll and Bute), became also king of the Picts, uniting their two lands in a new kingdom of Alba, which evolved into Scotland!. They were assimilated with the Scots in the 9th century!.

This answer was provided by Enquire, a 24-hour, live question answering and enquiry service offered by public librarians across England and Scotland in collaboration with partners in the United States!. If you liked our answer and would like us to help you find another, you can chat with one of us right now by clicking on Enquire on the People’s Network site at http://www!.peoplesnetwork!.gov!.ukWww@QuestionHome@Com

They were eventually assimilated into the Gaelic culture and became Scots!.
http://en!.wikipedia!.org/wiki/Gaelicisati!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Try here

http://en!.wikipedia!.org/wiki/PictsWww@QuestionHome@Com

picts were mad scotsmen who used to invade England a bit like Rangers the other week!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

You might well ask as well 'Where did they come from!?'Www@QuestionHome@Com