Very interesting. You mention trade in grain, is there any evidence of this from places like Dunnicaer, which is early in the currently acknowledged Pictish period and has evidence of contact, so possibly trade, with Rome?
Hi Andy, there's no direct evidence that I am aware of. We do know that the Romans always had trouble sourcing enough grain to keep their troops fed and happy, so they would certainly have had an eye on such resources, but whether they succeeded in setting up any Pictish trade is unknown. There is one instance that I know of that supports this sort of trade in grain with the north, Birrens. Blatobulgium was the Celtic name of the Roman fort at Birrens in Dumfrieshire, at the end of the Roman-era Watling street. It was rebuilt a few times, but ceased occupation by the end of the second century. This early Roman fort is known to have held granaries, a collection point from the regions to its north. It was beside the Mein Water, allowing movement of resources by barge, as well as by road.
The name of the Votadini appears to reflect a cognate of Welsh toddi, Cornish tedha and Old Breton todint ‘to melt, to thaw’ prefixed by Vo- ‘under’, presumably in the sense ‘the temperers’ or ‘those who melt (metal) down’. Its been suggested to me that it is melting down of silver that was implied by the name, but it does sound like the Votadini were considered to be experts in metalworking.
Interesting, thanks Bernard. I understand there is a mould for one of the silver pins from Traprain Law, but no-one has yet come up with a mould for a silver chain. Now finding something like that would be amazing.
That makes sense but I wonder if ‘Votadini’ is at all reliable as a subject for etymology? In their own tongue they appear to be ‘ Gododdin’ I have always imagined that Votadini is a crude Latin version of a vocative form?
The combination of these two rodded symbols means the Celtic / Druidic Cross-Quarter day Samhain, aka New Years. Autumnal Equinox (left) & Winter Solstice (right; Plough constellation aka Ursa Major).
The ends of the Autumnal Equinox symbol are Vine (upper) and Elder (lower), from the Celtic / Druidic Ogham Wheel of the Year.
You can verify this claim connecting the Ogham script representing the Ogham Year Wheel word for the corresponding rod ends to Ogham words, which even align to them on the Logie Elphinstone stone (a bit of a Pictish Rosetta stone it seems).
All Ogham script on all Pictish stones are Ogham Year Wheel words, representing the corresponding season / festival.
Very interesting. You mention trade in grain, is there any evidence of this from places like Dunnicaer, which is early in the currently acknowledged Pictish period and has evidence of contact, so possibly trade, with Rome?
Hi Andy, there's no direct evidence that I am aware of. We do know that the Romans always had trouble sourcing enough grain to keep their troops fed and happy, so they would certainly have had an eye on such resources, but whether they succeeded in setting up any Pictish trade is unknown. There is one instance that I know of that supports this sort of trade in grain with the north, Birrens. Blatobulgium was the Celtic name of the Roman fort at Birrens in Dumfrieshire, at the end of the Roman-era Watling street. It was rebuilt a few times, but ceased occupation by the end of the second century. This early Roman fort is known to have held granaries, a collection point from the regions to its north. It was beside the Mein Water, allowing movement of resources by barge, as well as by road.
Thanks!
Fantastic article and very thought provoking as always.
thanks !
Wow!
The name of the Votadini appears to reflect a cognate of Welsh toddi, Cornish tedha and Old Breton todint ‘to melt, to thaw’ prefixed by Vo- ‘under’, presumably in the sense ‘the temperers’ or ‘those who melt (metal) down’. Its been suggested to me that it is melting down of silver that was implied by the name, but it does sound like the Votadini were considered to be experts in metalworking.
Interesting, thanks Bernard. I understand there is a mould for one of the silver pins from Traprain Law, but no-one has yet come up with a mould for a silver chain. Now finding something like that would be amazing.
That makes sense but I wonder if ‘Votadini’ is at all reliable as a subject for etymology? In their own tongue they appear to be ‘ Gododdin’ I have always imagined that Votadini is a crude Latin version of a vocative form?
The form Votadini is sound-for-sound exactly what we'd expect. The Old Welsh form is Guotodin.
Is that still consistent with ‘under’? Gu?
Yes, Old Welsh Guo-, earlier Vo- means 'under' or 'down'.
Ah - aye in Gaelic it’s fo. I should have seen that! I was wrong footed by the g.
Another potential source of the silver was the slave trade
Thanks Jackie. Sadly, that may be correct.
Samhain/Sauin (New Year):
The combination of these two rodded symbols means the Celtic / Druidic Cross-Quarter day Samhain, aka New Years. Autumnal Equinox (left) & Winter Solstice (right; Plough constellation aka Ursa Major).
The ends of the Autumnal Equinox symbol are Vine (upper) and Elder (lower), from the Celtic / Druidic Ogham Wheel of the Year.
You can verify this claim connecting the Ogham script representing the Ogham Year Wheel word for the corresponding rod ends to Ogham words, which even align to them on the Logie Elphinstone stone (a bit of a Pictish Rosetta stone it seems).
All Ogham script on all Pictish stones are Ogham Year Wheel words, representing the corresponding season / festival.