We have evidence of much earlier astronomical knowledge in the many stone circles and alignments found throughout the land that was home to the Picts. They may have had an understanding of how these ancient sites were designed and knowledge of their purpose. Some of their symbols hold intriguing links with the forms found in extremely ancient tombs and the placing of megalithic stones. In the time of the historical Picts there would certainly have been a tradition of looking to the skies for knowledge, inspiration, guidance. One of the most famous stories of the Picts is that of the Saltire, seen as an omen in the sky before the battle of Athelstaneford.
The movement of the earth around the sun, and the consequential seasonal change in the stars, is the natural measure of the year. For the Picts this natural progression was given a pictorial dimension in the form of a zodiac; a calendar of the native animals and birds with which they shared the land, moving across the southern horizon in the company of axe-bearing giants.
New understanding of the Pictish symbols leads to questions about perception. The human mind has such a yearning to find meaning in the surrounding world that images can be seen in the textures, light and shadows of natural phenomena. While most of these images may be fleeting and observed only by an individual, the patterns of the stars - seemingly unchanging - circling to mark the hours of the night and the seasons of the year, have been given shapes and names identifiable by groups of star watchers.
