Okay so this whole thing started when I was wandering Glasgow Green last week, nursing a coffee. Saw those old stones near the People's Palace, y'know? Made me wonder, really wonder, what ancient blood might still be flowing under these cobbles. Picts popped into my head. Were there any traces left in today's Glaswegians? That question just stuck.
The Initial Hunt
Got home, fired up the laptop. Typed "Picts Glasgow modern link" into search. Got back pure nonsense mostly. Tourist stuff about ruins up north, a few academic papers using words that made my head spin. Couldnae find zilch about a direct, living link right here in Glasgow. Frustrating! This tribe practically vanished from the written record around 900AD. Merged into Alba or something? Left behind those cool carved stones, sure, but people?
Felt like hitting a wall. This mystery wasn't gonna solve itself with a quick Google, obviously.
Hitting the Streets (Literally)
Right, change of tactic. Needed ground truth. Started walking the city proper, eyes wide open. Went down the Barras market. Strolled the Saltmarket. Sat in Kelvingrove Park watching folk pass by. Started noticing wee things:
- That really distinct Glasgow look sometimes – pale, freckly skin, reddish hair popping up here and there.
- Strong bone structures on faces – prominent cheekbones, maybe a bit sharper jaw? Hard to put my finger on, but seeing it.
- Plus, just this...vibe. You know? This fierce independence streak? That Glaswegian resilience, sharp humour. Could that maybe echo an old warrior tribe's spirit?
Felt like I was onto something visual at least. Might not be proof, but it felt connected.
Talking to Actual Humans
Needed voices, not just visuals. Started chatting people up. Honestly mostly down the pub – best place for unguarded chat! Got talking to this old fella, Jim, nursing a pint in the Scotia. Asked him outright if he ever thought about Picts.
"Picts?" he scoffed, took a sip. "Och aye, pure oorsels before we were...us. Built stuff strong. Fought like hell. Good stock! Got ma red hair fae somewhere, eh?" He winked. Others nearby chipped in with stories they'd heard about ancient stones up north, whispers passed down about "the painted folk".
Also stopped by Glasgow Uni buildings near the Necropolis. Collared a history student grabbing a pasty – looked exhausted. Asked her fast. "Genetic studies? Yeah... they get mentioned," she mumbled, mouth full. "Super complex. Ancestral mixing bowl here. Pictish element? Definitely possible, part of the... soup." She waved vaguely towards the city center. "Hard to isolate specifics though." Soup – liked that.
Piecing My Own Puzzle Together
So, putting it all together. My big realisation?
Looking for the Picts in Glasgow today isn't about finding folks in blue war paint shouting battle cries. It's way subtler. You piece it together:
- Place: Standing on ground they once roamed near the Clyde.
- People: Seeing features in faces like Jim's – that reddish hair, the strong lines.
- Personality: Recognising that legendary Glaswegian feistiness and spirit. Could that backbone come from ancient ancestors?
- Passed-down Bits: Catching whispers, half-remembered stories in pub chat, place names maybe rooted way back.
Turns out they weren't wiped out, vanished into thin air. They just got folded in. Became part of Scotland, part of this crazy city. Their blood, diluted but there. Their spirit? Feels like it echoes in the stone and the people.
Uncover the mystery easy? More like scratch the surface and feel the connection. Feels good knowing that ancient tribe didn't just disappear. It changed, sure. But here in Glasgow? Yeah, pieces of them feel pretty damn present to me.
