Living beyond the northern frontier of the Roman Empire, the people of northern Scotland in the Dark Ages were known as the Picts – a name given by the Romans meaning the ‘painted - tattooed ones'. They were renowned as one of the most warlike of the Celtic barbarian tribes of Europe, successfully attacking the Roman army, and yet few of their homes or forts have ever been found. They did however leave behind some of the finest carved stones and jewellery from anywhere in early medieval Europe, before their culture disappeared around 900AD.

During this tour we will travel through the heartland of the southern Picts in Perthshire and Angus, tracking down these elusive people and coming face-to-face with them through the clues of their everyday life as seen in the incredible artistry of their monumental stone sculpture. We’ll explore a newly excavated fortress of the Pictish kings, and view their exquisite jewellery and symbols of power in important museum collections in Edinburgh and Perth – with unique access to new discoveries.