PICTS. An ancient people of the Stone Age (Long Barrow Period) inhabiting the whole of Great Britain. They were doliehocephalic and of rather low stature (5 feet 5 inches), dark in com plexion, and are supposed to have been Iberians or, according to Serg,i.long-headed Mediterraneans front Africa speaking Celtic. They were sup planted or incorporated by the succeeding Teu tonic invasions in the primitive period of the English nation. The name originated from the custom of the Picts of staining or tattooing the skin. it is pretty generally agreed by scholars that the Southern Welsh, the Firbolg (q.v.) of Western Ireland, and perhaps the short and dark remnants in Scotland represent survivals of the Picts. The language is not only extinct, hut has left no literature and only scant traces in place names. Concerning their history noth ing definite is known until A.D. 297. when we find the name Picii used by the orator Eumenius. They called themselves Cruithniyh (q.v.) and oc cupied at that period the north and the centre of the Highlands. The Boman,: waged continu ous war with the Picts and built large walls to keep them out of the conquered provinces. The
Saxons at first did not come into contact with this race, but as they pushed farther northward they also encountered the I'iets, and in 685 were defeated by their King, Brink. After this a con tinuous border warfare was earried on with varying results. Gradually the Picts were con verted to Christianity. and their King Angus MapFergus (731-761) ruled over the whole of Scotland. Soon thereafter this race disappeared as a separate entity. and in the middle of the ninth century Kenneth MacAlpine. as King of the Seots, ruled over all the different races. It must be stated that concerning nearly everything which pertains to the Picts long dis putes have been carried on by scholars. t'onsult: Skene, ('chic (3 vols., Edinburgh, 1576 Hines, A Critical Essay on the ..ineient In habitants of the Yoram) Parts of Britain or Scotland (Edinburgh, 1555) ; MaelZitehie. "Mod ern Views of the Picts," in Tic Alonthly Review% vol. ii. ( London, 1901).