Pictish Symbols

The Picts were a tribal people who lived in Northern Britain and Scotland until about a thousand years ago. Their language is lost, except for fragments, although they left behind a wealth of "picture stones," large monoliths carved with mysterious symbols whose meanings are mostly unknown. There are about fifty major symbols. Some are easily identified as animals or mythical creatures; others are completely mysterious, such as the "crescent and V-rod" and the "double disk." They may have originated as tattoos or amulets. After the fifth century, most Picts converted to Christianity, and most of their carvings reflect this change; many of the so-called "Celtic

Animals

Pictish animal signs may have been related to Gods and Goddesses, and included boars, salmon, wolves, and birds" crosses dotting England and Scotland are in fact Pictish stones.

Mythical creatures

Some of the most famous Pictish carvings are of monsters, mermaids, and other sea creatures


Enigmatic Symbols

Most unusual are the enigmatic symbols known as the "V-rod," "Z-rod," and "double disks," all named for their unusual shapes. The V-rod is a bent arrow superimposed on a crescent; it is thought by some to be a symbol of death

The z-rod is found in combination with a serpent, a tomb/doorway, or a double-sun (double disk), all possibly symbols of the solar cycle and the afterlife

Mirrors

Another object commonly inscribed is the mirror, often paired with a comb. The comb and mirror are symbols of female prestige, and usually denote a woman's memoria