How did the Picts view the night sky? What did they believe in? In this episode I interview Professor Gordon Noble and we talk about the special Pictish quartz pebbles that have been discovered as well as Groam House Museum Trustees Paul and Richard about early Christianity and the infamous Rosemarkie Man. I also interview night sky photographer Andre Hudson and Scottish folk belief expert Scott Richardson Read.

Andre has a number of boooks out with his photography Scotland at Night and Scott's recent book Mill Dust and Dreaming Bread is out now. Be sure and check their work out!

For this episode I went through to Glasgow to speak to Heather Christie and Brian Tyrell, two of the academics and creatives behind the Carved in Stone Pictish Role Playing Book and Game, which was commissioned by the Scottish Society of Antiquaries in partnership with Glasgow University and comes our in November 2025. Through the multiple peer reviews and years of research they have taken the book through over the last few years, Brian and Heather had a great deal of insight into what everyday life was like for a Pict. What I wanted to talk to them most about was trade, a staple of any game and certainly an important part of Pictish Society.

I also spoke again to Prof Gordon Noble, to talk about the Pictish trade economy revealed through archaeology.

And I also had the absolute pleasure of speaking with Leather Craft expert, Hamish Lamley, who is also known for his knowledge about coracles, Pictish boats.

If you have a chance to watch the video version of this episode on YouTube, you'll get to see a Roman cat toy among other things!

In this episode I was thrilled to be able to interview stone carver, David McGovern of Monikie Rock Art. David is an exceptionally talented artist who is known for using Pictish motifs, key patterns and designs in his work, sometimes for commissioned copy pieces and sometimes for entirely new unique pieces. David had lots of interesting insights into Pictish stone carvers and it was a joy to visit him.

I also headed to Meffan Museum in Forfar to speak to two of their experts, Shaun Wilson and Susan Curran, about the Pictish stones in Angus and some of the stories behind them.

Shaun was kind enough to let me record him telling two stories about two different Pictish stones, so if you check out the video version of this episode on YouTube, you will be able to experience those.

In this episode I travel up to Portknockie to interview the amazing blacksmith, Matty Flett of Flett Forge and he gives us some wonderful insight into what Pictish metalworking would have been like.

I also head to Perthshire to speak with goldsmith, Rona Dalgleish. Rona has recently been commissioned to recreate a Pictish ring, discovered by archaeologists very recently. We take a look at what she has been creating and puzzle over how the Picts created such finely detailed pieces.

Once again, I highly recommend watching the video version of this episode, which is available on YouTube.

In this episode I have a wonderful conversation with master weaver Linda Cruickshank about ancient spinning and carding techniques.

And I have the pleasure of interviewing Edinburgh University Levehulme Research Fellow and tablet weaver, Dr Cynthia Thickpenny. Cynthia shares with us her insights into the connections between Pictish sculptured stones and textiles. She also made us a "how to" tablet weave video and so I recommend watching that on the video version of this podcast, available on YouTube.

Special thanks to Musea Maaseik for letting us use the images of textiles in your collection.

For this episode I speak with food historian Peter Gilchrist, aka Tenement Kitchen about historic grains and Pictish Bannocks.

I also speak to Prof Gordon Noble again to must a wee myth about Pictish food.

A video version of this episode is available on YouTube and I really recommend watching that to get the Pictish bannock recipe Peter gave to us.

In this episode we explore what foods the Picts were eating and speak to food historian Peter Gilchrist, of Tenement Kitchen. Peter gives us insights into the cooking and ingredients they might have been using and what we know for sure they were.

Prof Gordon Noble of Aberdeen University, also provides a bit of insight into what the Picts were cooking.

Peter has sent us a bannock recipe from Barony Mill in Orkney, a mill which supplies one of the ancient grains the Picts would have been eating. The recipe for 'Pictish Bannocks' is at the end of the episode, I hope you enjoy it and if you make it, let us know how it turned out in the comments!

If you'd like to know more about Peter's work, you can find him on Instagram and on his website: Tenement Kitchen – Scottish Folk cooking

If you'd like to know more about Barony Mill and discover other potentially Pictish recipes, you can find their website here: Barony Mill: The World’s Only Mill Dedicated to Grinding Bere.

In this episode I speak with harpists from Flora and Fauna as well as carnyx maker and player, Samuel Meric.

A video version of this episode is available on YouTube and I really recommend watching because, you'll get to see how the carnyx is made and watch Flora and Fauna play.

In this episode we explore what Pictish music might have sounded like and interview harpists Lucie Hendry and Justyna Krzyzanowska from quartet Flora and Fauna, to get an understanding of what it was to play a Pictish harp. We also interview carnyx maker and player Samuel Meric in France and he shows us how the carnyx was made and how it sounds.To learn more about Flora and Fauna's music you can find them on instagram and bandcamp and their website: https://florafaunasounds.com/ To learn more about Samuel Meric's work, you can also find him on instagram and on his website: https://obradorshop.com/

For our first episode we speak with Trustees at Groam House Museum and I head off to Aberdeen University to interview Prof Gordon Noble.

A video version of this episode is available on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/2D_xKz333MU?si=8-ZkOcWm5ZOO0Qgq

The Picts: an introduction. We start the series by visiting Groam House Museum and meet with two of the Museum's Trustees to gain an insight into the collection at Rosemarkie. We also head to Aberdeen University to interview archaeologist and Pictish history expert, Professor Gordon Noble.

Groam House Museum's podcast At Home With the Picts: A Crafted Legacy launches on April 5th 2025. Hosted by Scottish storyteller Eileen Budd and with sound design by Debbie Armour.

We are grateful for the support of National Lottery Heritage Fund for making this podcast possible.