Ancient Scottish Seafarers and Their Enigmatic Diet
The Mysterious Picts
The Picts, one of Scotland’s earliest civilizations, shrouded in mystery, defied Roman advances and vanished from historical records around the turn of the first millennium A.D. Their coastal culture left behind tantalizing clues about their enigmatic culinary preferences.
Skeletal Analysis Sheds Light on Pictish Diet
Forensic analysis of 137 skeletons excavated from Tarbat Parish Church in Portmahomack, believed to belong to sixth-century Picts, revealed surprising dietary patterns. Despite their seafaring prowess and proximity to the ocean, fish were notably absent from their meals.
Barley and Livestock as Dietary Staples
Instead, the Picts subsisted primarily on barley, beef, lamb, pork, and venison during the site’s subsistence farming period (roughly 550 to 700 A.D.). Carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis of their bones, cross-referenced with animal bone remains found onsite, confirmed this dietary composition.
Fish: A Sacred Symbol, Not a Food Source
Archaeologists theorize that the Picts may have intentionally avoided consuming fish due to cultural and spiritual reasons. Pictish stone carvings depict salmon as an important symbol, possibly linked to superstitious beliefs about its magical properties. The researchers speculate that fish were considered so sacred that they were deliberately excluded from the diet.
The Influence of Christian Monasticism
By around 700 A.D., subsistence farming at Portmahomack gave way to a monastery. The Pictish monks relaxed their ancestors’ dietary restrictions, incorporating small quantities of fish into their meals. By the mid-medieval period, the Picts were regularly consuming and trading fish.
Archaeological and Scientific Insights
The Portmahomack monastery, unearthed in the mid-1990s, has provided a treasure trove of relics for researchers. Modern scientific techniques, such as isotope analysis, have enabled them to delve into the lives of these ancient people and gain insights into their health and dietary practices.
The Symbolism of Salmon in Pictish Folklore
The absence of fish in the Pictish diet raises questions about the role of salmon in their culture. Pictish stone carvings frequently depict salmon, suggesting its significance as a symbol. Researchers believe that salmon may have been associated with superstitions and folklore about magical fish, such as the “salmon of knowledge,” said to contain all the wisdom in the world.
A Glimpse into Pictish Lives
The study of Pictish dietary habits provides a window into their way of life. By analyzing skeletal remains and archaeological evidence, researchers have pieced together a puzzle that reveals the Picts’ unique relationship with their environment and their cultural beliefs.
