Face of the Picts? Rare Carved Stone Discovered at Scottish Hillfort

A remarkable discovery at a hillfort in Fife has brought archaeologists face-to-face with Scotland’s enigmatic Pictish past. A carved stone, believed to depict a human face dating back nearly 1,500 years, was uncovered by University of Aberdeen archaeology student Jodie Allan while volunteering on a summer excavation.

The rare find has been hailed as a significant addition to the growing body of evidence that East Lomond was once a thriving settlement of the Picts, a confederation of tribes who dominated much of northern and eastern Scotland during the late Iron Age and early medieval periods.

Student Stumbles Upon Extraordinary Discovery

Allan, a third-year archaeology student, was taking part in a dig at East Lomond hillfort, organized by Professor Gordon Noble of the University of Aberdeen and Joe Fitzpatrick of the Falkland Stewardship Trust. While sieving soil from an early medieval building, she noticed a small object measuring about 10–12 cm.

“At first, I thought it was just a piece of slag,” Allan explained. “But the unusual coppery-green color caught my attention. When I showed it to Professor Noble, his reaction immediately told me it was something special. Looking closely, you can see two eyes, a nose, and even what seems like a hairline.”