24 August 2023, Starts: 19:00

Scandinavian raiding, conquest and settlement in the kingdoms of the Picts and Alba 

Online talk by Dr Nicholas Evans

Organised by Scottish Society for Northern Studies. Free. To register, see the SSNS website.

Scandinavian settlement in Scotland predominately took place on territory inhabited by Picts and Gaels and controlled by the Pictish overkingdom. The end result was a transformation of language and culture, yet many facets of the processes involved are uncertain, especially the date and nature of transitions. Moreover, the responses of local inhabitants, regional leaders, and of the kings of the Pictish kingdom are rarely considered, since Scandinavian conquest and settlement are usually perceived as single, irreversible events.

This paper will discuss the textual evidence for regarding the transition to a Scandinavian society in parts of Scotland as a longer process, with key stages of transition potentially dated to the post-Pictish era, long after Scandinavians first raided in the region. It will also explore the nature of Pictish political interactions with the Norsemen, to try to discern what might have happened when Scandinavians became active in the region and the Pictish leaders had to respond.

Dr Nicholas Evans is a Research Fellow in the Department of Archaeology at the University of Aberdeen.