Important Events in Hebridean History
A Pictish Burial (with audio)
Main Article
David Simon
Grandfather was a respected man. That's why we've given him this special grave. We're not like the old ones, who used to bury their people all bent double in small holes in the ground. First we built this fine square enclosure, with well-faced stones as high as your knee. At the north and south corners, we placed precious wooden posts, carved with the symbol of the crescent and rod. Then, between the posts, we built his grave up from the ground with good stones, and laid him inside with honour, flat on his back. Last, we filled up the inner grave and its outer kerb with stones of every colour - white, black, pink - gathered from every one of our fields to north and south, until there was a great shining cairn over him that can be seen across the Sound from Uist. Grandfather's cairn will remain here forever, and he will be well pleased.
You might think that it is because of the new faith that we go to all this trouble, but it's not. In many ways we are just like you, but we have our own ways as well, and we are proud of that. Our own speech, our own way of understanding the world, and our own way of honouring the dead.
Bha urram mòr air Seanair. 'S e sin is coireach gun tug sinn dha an uaigh shònraichte seo. Chan eil sinne coltach ri na daoine a bha romhainn, a bhiodh ag adhlacadh an t-sluaigh aca crùbte ann an tollan beaga san talamh. An toiseach thog sinn an lann ghrinn cheithir-cheàrnach seo, anns a bheil clachan le uachdar math mu àirde na glùine. Aig na h-oiseanan tuath agus deas, chuir sinn puist fhiodha phrìseil, le corran agus slat air an snaigheadh annta. An uairsin, eadar na puist, thog sinn an uaigh aige suas bhon talamh le clachan math, agus chàirich sinn e innte le urram, na shìneadh air a dhruim. Mu dheireadh, lìon sinn suas an uaigh a-staigh agus an ùrlar a-muigh le clachan den h-uile dath - geal, dubh, pinc - air an toirt às a h-uile achadh bho thuath gu deas, gus an robh càrn mòr lainnireach air uachdar a chithear tarsainn air a' Chaolas bho Uibhist. Bidh càrn Seanair an seo gu sìorraidh, agus abair gun còrd sin ris.
'S dòcha gun saoil sibh gur e an creideamh ùr a tha a' toirt oirnn a dhol chun an t-saothair seo, ach chan e. Air iomadh dòigh tha sinn dìreach mar sibh fèin, ach tha ar dòighean fhìn againn cuideachd, agus tha sinn moiteil às. Ar cànan fhìn, ar dòigh fhìn air an t-saoghal a thuigsinn, agus ar dòigh fhìn air urram a chur air na mairbh.
Audio Interpretations
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Associated Locations
This event is associated with some locations in the Hebrides. For more details on these, see the list below, or go to the Interactive Explorer.
