Celtic & Pictish art

Celtic and Pictish arts can trace their roots back to at least 1000 BC. What we primarily think of as Celtic art dates from the post-Roman era, beginning around the 5th century, and reached its zenith as the Viking raids on these islands began in the late 8th century. The Book of Kells is the most famous example.

Pictish art, while sharing similar roots, can be seen as a distinct style in itself. It is mostly found on monumental stones, as the people themselves left no written records. The distinctive style became blurred with Celtic art and was eventually subsumed, as the Picti merged with the peoples of Dál Riata in the tenth century.