We think of the Picts as an almost mythological people – mystical, mysterious, barbarian and pagan – lost to us in the mists of time. At the start of 2020, archaeologists were making rapid advances in our understanding of these ancient ancestors. A standing stone carved by Pictish hands some 1,200 years ago was recently discovered near Dingwall, shedding new light on their art and culture. A 1,400-year-old Pictish cemetery was located on the Black Isle, giving us an insight into their religious